Cheap things to do: Best massage

Broome Sky Health Center
The clean, tiny storefront’s dim lights and dark walls create a Zen vibe, a surprising departure from the area’s fluorescent-lit competition. Once on a table in the back room, opt for a one-hour $42 acupressure massage, which will work your lower back, shoulders and legs with the perfect amount of pressure. 120 Elizabeth St between Broome and Grand Sts (212-226-6898)

Crystal Spa
There are no true private rooms, but batik curtains give you enough privacy. 240 E 56th St between Second and Third Aves, suite 2W (212-755-5589, crystalspanyc.com)

Graceful Spa
This center is known for its staff’s massage skills, but the price tag sure doesn’t indicate that. A 30-minute session still costs only $40. Plus, you can book any two one-hour treatments (choose from scrubs, rubdowns, facials and body wraps) and pay $120 instead of $140. 205 W 14th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, second floor (212-675-5145, gracefulspa.com)

Ohm Spa
Sometimes all you need to de-stress is a few minutes in a massage chair. At Ohm, you can get ten of ’em for just $19. 260 Fifth Ave between 28th and 29th Sts, seventh floor (212-481-7892, ohmspa.com)

O Spa
Like the Costco of spas, this haven offers memberships, which can score you big savings. Join for $120 a year, or put $500 into an account and you’ll pay the $40 member rate for a 35-minute massage (normally $48—still a deal). 7606 Third Ave between 76th and 77th Sts, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (718-833-8811, ospany.com)

Wu Lin Services
On the outskirts of Chinatown, this typical Chinese massage parlor doesn’t offer much for the eye. But lay down in their communal massage room and give your body a treat. Enjoy a ten-minute massage for just $7, 16 minutes for $11, 31 minutes for $21 or 61 minutes for $42. It’s a little bizarre, but that’s part of its charm. 145 Grand St between Crosby and Lafayette Sts (212-925-1276)

Faina
Any excuse that might have been keeping you from pampering yourself is completely shot down here: The $30 scalp massage is not expensive, not lengthy, not inconvenient—and there’s no getting naked necessary. The office-size suite may be modest, but its linens are crisp and the staff serenely professional. A quarter hour of temple rubbing, hair tugging and swirly head kneading feels a lot longer, and it’s mind-clearing for even the most ticklish among us. And nothing’s more invasive here than what you’d experience in an awkwardly crammed L train. 315 W 57th St between Eighth and Ninth Aves (212-245-6557, fainaeuropeanspa.com)

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Cheap things to do in New York City
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