How to Donate or Sell Blood Plasma

Nowadays it seems like we're all scraping to make some extra cash. I know a handful of people who are futilely wasting their time and energy in a number of pyramid schemes and going nowhere fast. Rather than feed you a lot of bull about how to get rich quick, I'm going to tell you about a legitimate way to make an extra $50 a week or so; selling your plasma.

In short, plasma is your blood without the red blood cells. It's the liquid portion of your blood that carries water, nutrients, and antibodies throughout your body. The medical industry has a constant demand for plasma, from transfusions to experimentation. Many new medications are developed with the aid of donor plasma.

I used to give plasma on a regular basis when I was younger It's easy enough for almost anyone to do. You basically sit on a couch while a machine does the work of drawing blood, separating the blood cells from the plasma, mixing your blood cells with saline, and pumping the fresh mix back in.

Now, before you get too excited about free and easy cash that you can obtain at any time, let me put things into perspective. Selling your plasma takes a good amount of planning and forethought.

1. Find a location to sell your plasma. Check a phone book or the Internet for plasma collection locations near you. I used to sell mine to a company called BioLife Plasma Services.

1. Book an appointment. Despite what you've seen on TV, you will not be able to walk in the first day and walk out with cash. At your appointment, you will be given a basic physical examination, and be asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding history of illnesses, sexual health practices, travel history, and dates that you received tattoos or piercings. You cannot give plasma if you've had a tattoo or piercing less than twelve months prior to your visit. The purpose of this is to assess the risk of HIV infection. Your file will then be reviewed. If you are deemed eligible then the plasma center will call you back to book a donation appointment.

2. Eat a filling meal and drink plenty of water two hours prior to donating plasma. Protein makes up a good portion of the plasma collected so you'll want to account for the extra protein loss when planning your meals. Failure to do so may result in fainting.

3. Donate. Depending on the business of the clinic you may be required to wait some time prior to donating. Once you are called for your turn, you will be escorted to a reclined chair next to a machine. A technician will insert a needle into a vein in your arm, so it's important to be friendly to this person. Your blood will flow into the machine, through a centrifuge where the red blood cells collect and the plasma passes into a collection bag. The machine then mixes the red blood cells with saline solution and pumps the mixture back into your veins. This process is called apheresis. The machine will cycle through this process many times while you are there. It's a good idea to bring a magazine to read since you will be sitting there for anywhere from 30 minutes to about an hour.

4. Get paid. After the machine stops and the technician bandages your arm, you will be given about $20 to $30. You can donate a maximum of twice per week.