How to Save Money on Spa Treatments

In 2010, the International Spa Association reported that the US spa industry made about $12.8 billion worth of revenue – actually up 4.3% from the previous year. And that’s up over $5 billion total since 1999, when spas were just becoming popular outside the upper classes.

If you’re one of those middle-class spa-goers who loves the luxury of spa treatments but also needs to watch your spending, there are plenty of great ways to save money on spa treatments.

Here are a few options you can try today:

Check out package deals

Many spas offer package deals that bundle together their popular services – massages, manicures, pedicures, facials, etc. – and cut the price a little. To see how much you can save with a package deal, add up the cost of individual services that are included, and then compare that to the package price.

Make it a girls’ day out

Another good way to bundle up services and save is to go to a spa with a friend or two. Many spas will offer discounts or package deals when you book services for multiple people at once. Plus, this is just a fun way to get out of the house with your friends!

Book during off hours

Because weekday mornings tend to be slow for spas outside of heavily touristy areas, some will offer discounts if you book treatments during these hours. Even if your local spas don’t advertise a discount during the off hours, you can always ask if you can get a small discount for booking during these less convenient times.

Cut out the extra treatments

Spa receptionists and service people are trained to up-sell you with “small” extras that can really add up. Whether it’s adding essential oils to your facial or extending your massage by a mere fifteen minutes, these extra treatments can really add on to your bill. Think carefully about exactly what you want of your spa experience, and don’t let the staff sell you more than this.

Check out beauty and spa schools

If you do a Google search for a city near you, you’ll probably find a beauty school nearby that also trains aestheticians, who do facials, body treatments, and sometimes massages. If you really want a spa massage instead of a facial or pedicure, you can probably also find a massage school near you.

With a school, prices are seriously discounted, and the students are usually overseen by competent, experienced teachers. However, you are taking a slight risk here, particularly with certain treatments, since you’ll be treated by a less experienced individual. It’s up to you to weigh the risks, but this can be a fantastic way to save on spa treatments.

Check out group coupon websites

Popular group coupon websites like Groupon and Living Social are a great resource to help you save on spa treatments. Because treatments like facials, pedicures, and massages are so popular these kinds of deals pop up quite often. Just sign up to get updates on daily coupons from your local area, and snap up deals as they occur.

Splurge the right way

If you’ve had a stressful week at work or just need a pedicure before heading to the beach for vacation, you may want to splurge on a spa treatment without going through the hassle of these steps. In this case, you might want to keep one of these low interest credit cards on hand for last minute splurges.

Splurging with a low interest credit card keeps you from paying a fortune in extra fees, and it helps you splurge between paychecks. You should just pay off the amount as soon as you can.

Saving on your spa experience really isn’t hard, particularly in today’s economy where people have cut back on luxuries like these. More spas are competing for less business, which spells great savings for you as the spa-goer.

(Guest post by Daniela Baker)

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