We’re not talking about selling your entire body for scientific research. But there are a number of things you could sell to earn extra money to pay off your debts. Some of them are a whole lot easier than getting a second, 20-hour a week job or even driving for Uber and pay a lot more. What makes this possible is that while science has made huge strides in the past few years, doctors and scientists still rely on certain types of donors for materials like sperm, eggs and plasma. Selling any of these things is all legal, plus you would have the satisfaction of knowing you had helped someone else.
Some of the ways to earn money you will read are pretty quick, while others require a considerable time commitment.
Sell your eggs
Of course, this won’t help any men. But if you’re a woman you can earn anywhere from $5500 to $8000 by selling your eggs. However, this is somewhat of a misnomer as you don’t really get paid for your eggs. You’re paid for the time and energy required to produce them. If this appeals to you there are some requirements such as you must be between the ages of 21 and 35 and in good health. If you smoke, use drugs, have a high body mass index or issues with mental health, you probably won’t be eligible. But if you do qualify there’s good money to be made and it’s something you can do literally lying down.
Sell those long, lovely tresses
This one, again, is more for women though some men might qualify., Wig makers, artisans and beauticians are often happy to free you from those long, lovely tresses. To earn the maximum amount of money you must have long, straight hair that’s in very good condition. You won’t qualify unless it’s virgin – meaning it’s never been dyed. The best-selling hair will be at least 15 inches to 35 inches and color does count. Brunettes with chestnut tinges and natural blondes sell well but to get the most money you’ll need to be a ginger. What could you expect to make selling those tresses? The going rate is currently $1500 and up.
Sell your breast milk
Believe it or not, it is legal to sell your own breast milk. The going rate for this is from one dollar to three dollars per ounce. However, most experts will tell you to not do this. There was a study published in October, 2013 showing that out of 100 samples of women’s breast milk, roughly 75% were contaminated with bacteria associated with disease or had abnormally high levels of bacteria. While you might want to sell your breast milk to help someone else, you might not be doing them a favor. A better alternative would be to donate the milk to a nonprofit milk bank where they will screen both you and your milk.
Be a gestational surrogate and earn big money
Gestational surrogate is a fancy way of saying you’d carry someone else’s baby. The way this works is that you would carry the sperm and egg from another couple until the baby is born. Be aware that the surrogacy process generally takes from 15 months to 18 months from the time you apply to be a surrogate to when the baby is born.
Surrogates can be anywhere from their early 20s to their early 40s – or older than egg donors. Some clinics require candidates to already have had at least one uncomplicated pregnancy. You will be required to adhere to some very strict medical recommendations while carrying the baby. You will be required to sign a gestational surrogacy contract with the intended parents. And you may need to make some changes in lifestyle or diet. However, if you are willing to do this the going rate for a gestational surrogate is around $39,000-$52,000.
Participate in a clinical trial
Here’s one where men can also make some money. It’s where you participate in a trial for a new drug or therapy designed to help with some specific condition. The pay is generally $5000 per product but this does come with some risk. While the facilities that do the testing are required to advise you of any known risks, some will fail to do so. Be sure to ask what animal trials revealed about the drug. You should also be sure to find out who will pay for your medical care should something go wrong. Health insurance usually does not cover the side effects of a clinical trial so if you end up with a problem you need to know who’s going to pay for your care.
If you’d like to know more about clinical trials and their four phases, here’s a video that explains them and why people that are being paid to participate are used only in phase one trials.
Sell your sperm
Here, finally, is one for just the guys. If you’re between the ages of 18 and 39 and in good health you may be able to donate your sperm. However, this is not a one-time deal. Many of the clinics involved in sperm donation required donors to come in and make regular deposits – at least one time a week. And with some clinics you could be required to come in and make deposits two or three times a week for anywhere from six months to a year. In addition, some clinics have genetic requirements and there may be a height requirement. If you’re a drug user, a smoker or have a genetic history of certain diseases, you won’t be eligible. But if you are, the going rate is up to $1500 a month.
Sell your blood or plasma
The going rates for selling plasma or blood is $25-$50 per donation with a limit of $300 per month. However, your blood may not be used the way you think. There is a federal government rule that blood collected from paid donors cannot be used for transfusions in hospitals. This means that blood collected this way is often used by cosmetics and pharmaceutical companies. Unlike clinical trials, the risk involved in donating plasma or blood is very low. And you can usually contribute twice a week, which could mean $100 a week or $400 a month, again just for lying on your back. If this appeals to you, go to the website www.DonatingPlasma.com where you’ll find a list of 450 licensed blood and plasma centers throughout the U.S.