This post 5 Ways to Make Money with Your Body (Legally) appeared first on Daily Reckoning.
Could you use some extra cash? Donating body materials can be akin to a part-time job. And the pay is often better than driving for a ridesharing company or working as a retail clerk.
We’ll start with the easiest way to earn money with your body and work our way to the more complex.
1. Hair — up to $1,500 … or more!
Buyers want healthy, attractive hair for wigs, extensions, and art projects. Hair that has never been dyed is the most popular. The longer the better — at least 15-35 inches.
Color is also important. Redheads fetch the biggest bucks followed by natural blondes and brunettes. Not much demand for gray.
You can get an idea on how much your hair is worth here. Once you have that, there are online markets such as HAIRSELLON.com and BuyAndSellHair.com where you can post your locks for sale.
2. Blood plasma — up to $400 per month
Plasma is the light-yellow liquid portion of blood that remains after it is separated by a machine.
Donating is like giving blood, and you can do it up to two times a week.
Plasma therapies help people with genetic, chronic conditions such as hemophilia and Kawasaki disease lead healthier and more productive lives.
And patients need a lot of it …
For instance, it takes more than 1,200 plasma donations to treat one hemophilia patient.
Red Cross and similar organizations won’t pay for your plasma. But pharmaceutical companies will.
There are licensed and International Quality Plasma Program (IQPP) certified plasma collection centers throughout the U.S. You can search for one in your area by clicking here.
3. Sperm — $500 to $2,000 per month
Guys, this isn’t as simple as going to a clinic and handing over a mason jar containing your sperm.
The qualifications are tough because sperm seekers are paying big bucks. And they want the perfect specimen …
They’re looking for men who are healthy, well-educated, and maybe even a minimum height.
Once you pass the initial screening, you’ll have to provide your family’s medical history, undergo STD testing, submit a sample to measure the quality, and undergo genetic testing.
A longer-term consideration is that with the rise of more DNA testing services, the offspring you helped create could one day look you up.
Click here to find a sperm bank directory in your area. And if you’re married, I suggest you check with your wife first.
4. Eggs — $6,000 to $8,000 or more
Egg donation is a complex process in which an egg is surgically removed from a fertile woman and donated to another woman in order to help her conceive.
A series of screenings, tests for diseases, counseling, and genetic tests are required and take about two months.
This isn’t for everyone … generally fertility centers are looking for healthy donors age 21 to 35. Potential participants who smoke, use drugs, have a high body mass index, or have mental health issues aren’t eligible.
Another thought to keep in mind …
While some donors might get satisfaction knowing they’ve created a new life, others may find that giving up a child is psychologically troubling. And like sperm donors, there’s the possibility that the children you helped create may someday try to contact you.
If this is of interest, fertility centers are in almost every community. You could also check with your gynecologist.
5. Surrogate — $35,000 to $53,000 or more
Carrying a couple’s sperm and egg until a child is born is a long-term commitment … 15 to 18 months.
Also, the screening process is much more intense. It can include medical and psychological evaluations, criminal background check, home visits, and even financial status.
You may also be required to follow a certain diet and lifestyle.
For instance, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, paid a surrogate $45,000 to carry their third child.
They stipulated that their surrogate could not smoke, drink, or do drugs during the pregnancy and had to refrain from going in hot tubs, handling cat litter, and applying hair dye. Nor could she eat raw fish or drink more than one caffeinated beverage a day.
The legality can be an issue since some states ban surrogacy contracts. So you might want to obtain legal representation beforehand.
Bottom Line
A final point when making the decision to sell your body’s materials …
It’s not only about the extra cash you’ll receive, there’s the altruistic point …
You might make a chemo patient feel better about herself, create a life when helping a childless-couple become parents, or save a life when your donation is for the research needed to treat a rare disease.
To a richer life,
— Nilus Mattive
Editor, The Rich Life Roadmap
The post 5 Ways to Make Money with Your Body (Legally) appeared first on Daily Reckoning.