How to Save and Splurge at the Spa -- Savings Experiment

There's no easier way to temporarily get off the grid than blocking off a spa day. According to Reuters, spas need you as much you want them, since people tend to cut back on luxurious splurges when times are tough. There are bargains out there, so do seek them out.

Ongoing Spa Discounts

It's always a good time to get a massage. That's why websites like Groupon and Spawish.com offer discounts all year long. The popular website SpaFinder offers deals on thousands of spas around the globe, as well as gift certificates. Your health insurance carrier, union, or office may already have a special discount with SpaFinder, so inquire with the powers that be. If you are a Costco (COST) member, you can buy a $100 pack of Spafinder gift certificates for $80.

If you sign up on Groupon or SpaFinder's mailing lists or check in with the sites regularly enough, you'll stumble upon additional promos. At SpaFinder, for instance, the code ALIST gives you an additional 10% off your next purchase. Become a member of the site's Spa Club, and you'll receive additional deals and gift certificates.

Fun and Frugal

If you're up for fantastic deals and a truly fun spa experience, Korean spas, Russian bathhouses and Rocky Mountain hot springs often offer all- and half-day packages. A lot of these specialty "spas" welcome kids, so you can bring your family and still get away from it all.

Korean spas, which you can find in almost any metropolitan area, typically include an array of services -- sauna and steam rooms, pools, showers, internet, public and private rest areas to unwind in, and tasty food to boot. Most offer additional scrubs, massages, and beauty treatments, and are open in the evenings. Do some research to find out where the nearest spas, bathhouses, and hot springs are located in your area. Spa Castle in Flushing, New York, Spa World in Centreville, Virginia, and Olympic Spa in Los Angeles, California are popular Korean spas.

Off-Peak Perks

If you can play hooky from work (and life), boutique spas often offer discounts during the weekday, especially on Monday and Tuesday mornings. There is also a national Spa Week in the fall and Wellness Week in the spring, when many chain spas offer introductory treatments or specials hoping you'll get hooked and come again (at their regular rates).

Take It Home

The best way to save is to have a specialist come to your house. Maurice Henderson, who has provided spa services for major sports teams and hotels, offers reasonable rates, and has a devoted clientele in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and even California. An expert, licensed professional, Henderson provides a table, candles, and music, in addition to his skilled, steady hands. You don't need to worry about paying for parking or dealing with traffic; just shut your eyes and enjoy. So if you get a massage that you really like, ask if the masseuse makes house calls too.

Schools

Massage schools offer lowered rates from their students, so check out the rosters at sites like Natural Healers. Sometimes community centers, boutique spas and schools offer workshops for laypeople, like Sal Anthony's Movement Salon chain in New York. You can go on your own, or make a massage workshop into a romantic date. What you learn may come in handy (pun intended) later.