In the land of things that stress me out, a deficit of riches is king. So as rent, gas and food prices rise, so do my shoulders, and a dastardly little knot of tension gathers smack dab in the middle of my trapezius.

A shoebox full of cash would solve things nicely, but in lieu of that, what I could really use is a massage. Unfortunately, massages at many of Seattle's spas and clinics cost about $100 per hour. In my world, that's two tanks of gas, two weeks' worth of groceries or two doggies who go without Greenies. In other words, more than I'm willing to spend.

Fortunately, Cortiva Institute of Seattle feels me. Through June 1, the massage school is offering 75-minute massages with a handful of its recent graduates -- for just $50! The goal of the promotion is to help the newly licensed massage therapists jump-start their practices.

Cortiva (which absorbed the well-known Brian Utting School of Massage) has always offered low-cost massages ($30) at its South Lake Union massage clinic, but those treatments are provided by students who have just 650 hours of training and 10 months of experience, which makes some massage-seekers a little leery.

The recent grads, on the other hand, have more than 1,000 hours of training and 16 months of experience, and their practices are located in Wallingford, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia and many other Seattle neighborhoods, so you can find a provider right in your own backyard.

A massage that can ease the burden not just on your back but on your budget? That's relief you can take to the bank.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company