A Penny For Your Thoughts? (Part 4)

Donate Plasma!

In Washington there are centers where you can get paid to donate plasma from your blood! Biomat is the most common company, and there are many locations. I am not sure about the availability of this opportunity in other states, and I cannot guarantee any rates because each city has a different demand for plasma. A simple websearch for plasma donation center should steer you in the right direction.

This is the place I went to for plasma donation: http://www.biomatusa.grifols.com

The deal here is that you go twice a week for about an hour, usually they have you schedule an appointment time in advance to make sure they can handle the volumes, and you complete their questionnaire confirming your eligibility. You do have to see a nurse who pricks your finger and makes sure you have enough iron before you start. 

Then, you sit in a chair while blood gets pumped out of your arm and separated in a machine, returning your red blood cells while keeping your plasma. After that, you get a bit of saline to help kick start the replenishing process. 

While all of this is going on, you can read a book, surf the web on your laptop, talk on the phone, or whatever! (You just can’t sleep...for safety reasons) Plasma is a fluid a healthy body can easily reproduce, and is not as taxing to do so as replenishing one’s blood supply.

However, the rules are pretty much the same as if you are donating blood and you cannot donate if:

• You’re pregnant
• Received a tattoo recently
• Been in jail for more than 72 hours at one time
• Carry an STD
• Are anemic, or have another blood disorder

I have been paid $20 for the first visit in one week and $30 for the second (they understand it’s difficult to get people in multiple times in a week, but demand was still high, so they were able to compensate more for it!). That means $50 each week, or $200 in a month! As a college kid, that was my food budget and gas money!

Plus if you have antibodies for particular diseases, they will pay you more...I do not, but still got a hefty "paycheck" for donating!