Can you really make money donating plasma?

Yes you can — up to $700 in your first month, in fact.

But it’s probably not the best side hustle idea for everyone. In this post, I’ll share:

how the plasma donation process works
why it’s important
and how to get started—if you want to!

What is Blood Plasma and Why is it Needed?

According to WebMD, plasma is the liquid portion of your blood. While plasma is roughly 90% water, it also contains important minerals, hormones, proteins, and nutrients.

The lives of millions of Americans are saved every year due to plasma proteins.

Blood plasma contains more than 400 different proteins, and of those, 150 are important for medical emergencies.

Even just one donation can save three lives (though you have to give at least twice for your plasma to be used).

What Blood Plasma Does

Blood plasma:

Helps you fight off infections.
Helps your cells function properly by transporting nutrients, hormones, and proteins. This includes growth hormones partially responsible for the growth of your bones and muscles.
Provides clotting factors so you can stop bleeding when you’ve been injured.
Helps you maintain normal blood volume and blood pressure levels.
Helps eliminate chemical waste from your cells. This is accomplished through dissolving substances not required by your cells so they can be carried away.

What is Donated Plasma Used For?

Physicians use plasma for the treatment of many types of serious health issues. For example, the chemicals and antibodies in plasma that enable clotting are important for treating trauma and burns.

Other uses for plasma include:

Cancer: Both children and adults with several different types of cancer often require a plasma transfusion. This includes leukemia.
Developing New Treatments: The proteins and antibodies in plasma are used to develop life-saving medicines and treatments for rare medical diseases. This includes specific issues with the immune system.
Hemophilia: Hemophilia is a rare disorder. This occurs when an individual does not have the necessary clotting factors.
Transplant Surgery: Bone marrow and liver transplants require a plasma donation.

(If your blood type is AB, your plasma is extremely important. People with AB blood are considered “universal plasma donors” because anyone can use it regardless of their blood type.)

Fun Fact: This is different from standard blood donation, where blood type O-negative is the universal donor.

Plasma Donation Requirements and Eligibility

The collection of plasma is a big business in the medical community. This is because plasma can save a lot of lives.

Making a donation is both ethical and noble—even if you’re getting paid.

There are basic requirements you must meet before you will be able to donate plasma. You must:

Be between the ages of 18 and 69 (could be a good way to make money as a teenager)
Weigh more than 110 pounds
Pass a basic physical examination and be free of any infectious diseases
Have a social security card or legal government ID to prove citizenship
Have the correct levels of blood, iron and hemoglobin

You may be ineligible to donate if you:

Received a tattoo or body piercing in the last year
Have a history of hepatitis or are HIV positive
Have a history of cancer in the family

The exact rules vary by state, but every donor must meet the essential requirements detailed above.

When you donate plasma, you’re accepting an important responsibility. If there’s any chance your blood could pose a risk to potential recipients, stop right now.

How Much Money Can You Make Donating Plasma?

You’ll typically be paid between $20 and $60 for each donation. Depending on how often you donate, you can earn as much as $650 per month donating plasma.

Overall, that might work out to around $30-50 an hour.

Why does plasma donation pay and blood donation not? The plasma procedure pays because it is more involved and requires more time.

(If you’re afraid of needles, this obviously isn’t the best way for you to make extra money.)

Before you make a donation, look on the Internet to see if you can find any coupons for first-time donors. Many centers offer a higher payout for first-timers:

If you have multiple donation centers to choose from nearby, obviously pick the one with the best combination of reputation and payout.

Interesting fact: how much you can make depends on your weight. (Heavier people can safely donate more plasma and earn more.)

How Do You Get Paid?

The majority of donation centers will give you either a debit card or a prepaid gift card to make the process as smooth as possible.

I think that’s pretty annoying—I’d prefer just to get cash—but understand why they do it that way.

How Donating Plasma for Money Works: An Interview

Bethany said this little side hustle covered her rent in college!

The Plasma Donation Process

Finding a Plasma Donation Center Near You

If you’re interested in donating plasma, you need to find a collection center in your area. Your best option is to search online:

Some legit plasma donation centers include:

CSL Plasma
BioLife Plasma
BPL Plasma
Grifols Plasma
Olgam Life (New York and Florida)

It’s important to understand these centers aren’t government institutions. While the FDA regulates and inspects all US-based donation centers, the agency is not involved with the management of any of these centers.

In most cases, an appointment is not required. The centers usually accept walk-ins during most hours of the day.

(Though calling in advance can save time, and you may be able to fill out their forms online.)

The best time to donate is in the morning because you’ll feel more refreshed.

What to Bring to the Plasma Donation Center

Make sure to bring your social security card, photo ID card, and proof of address. If you don’t have a social security card, a border crossing identification may be accepted.

I’d also recommend bringing a jacket or blanket.

When you arrive at the plasma donation center, you’ll be greeted by the receptionist. They’ll give you the relevant paperwork to fill out, which includes your personal information and complete medical history.

The details on your paperwork will be checked using the identification you provided.

Before You Donate Plasma

Before making a donation, you’ll receive an examination by the medical staff at the donation center. They’ll determine if you’re fit enough to make a donation.

Your basic exam will most likely include a:

heart check
blood pressure check
urine test
reflex test
blood sample

Your blood sample is used to check your iron, protein, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels.

If you’re approved, you can make a donation now.

If You Get Rejected

If you don’t qualify to donate plasma, you may receive one of two different kinds of deferrals:

Permanent
Temporary

The most common reasons for a temporary deferral are if you’re:

still recovering from a recent medical procedure
currently sick
experiencing low iron or hemoglobin levels

In this instance, the center will tell you what steps to take and when you can come back to make a donation.

A permanent deferral can be given for numerous reasons.

You may not meet the weight requirement (though I suppose you could always try and bulk up if it’s something you really have your heart set on!), or you may have a specific medical condition that can have a negative impact on anyone receiving your blood plasma.

If you think your permanent deferral was a mistake, you can try to have it overturned. This will require an exam and note from your primary care physician.

Is Donating Plasma Painful?

The majority of individuals who have donated plasma stated the needle felt like “a very mild bee sting.”

Every time you donate, you will be required to have a finger stick to check your hemoglobin and protein levels.

The actual discomfort is very similar to donating blood. If you’re comfortable donating blood, you shouldn’t experience any issues donating plasma.

Once the donation center is ready to begin, you’ll be seated in a chair in a semi-reclined position. The procedure looks a lot like when you donate blood.

In addition to the finger stick, an IV and needle will be used to draw your blood. Your blood (minus the plasma, of course) will be returned to your body through the IV.

Your blood is mixed with saline prior to being returned. This can be extremely cold and some people find it uncomfortable. Bring a jacket or blanket with you.

How Long Does Donating Plasma Take?

While your first donation can take as long as 2-3 hours to complete the entire procedure, your next donation shouldn’t take more than 90 minutes.

Still, you do need to physically be at the location—it’s definitely not a passive income idea.

Risks and Side Effects of Donating Plasma

When you make a donation, vital minerals, vitamins and fluids are being removed from your body. This is why your health status must be assessed by medical professionals before you’re approved to donate

If you have any visible signs of a disease or an addiction, the technician will recommend medical treatment—and you won’t be allowed to donate.

Still, even if you’re in good health and approved by the technician for donation, there are potential side effects. A plasma donation does have an impact on your body. You won’t leave feeling the same way you did when you first arrived.

How to Prepare Your Body

Make sure to get a good night’s rest before donating. Have a good dinner the night before and eat a healthy breakfast the next morning.

One plasma donor I spoke to emphasized the importance of drinking a lot of water before he went in. Compared to being dehydrated, he said it made the donation process much faster!

You should also be feeling emotionally stable to help ensure you successfully make a donation. Once your donation is complete, avoid any stressful activities for the remainder of the day.

Your main priorities need to be rest and hydration.

Your body needs 24 to 48 hours to recover from the impact of your donation and to restore normal  plasma levels.

Your body needs 24 to 48 hours to recover from the impact of your donation and to restore normal  plasma levels. Thankfully, most side effects aren’t severe, and usually disappear on their own with fluids and rest.

Most Common Plasma Donation Side Effects

You should be on the lookout for the most common side effects when you donate plasma.

These include:

Lightheadedness. The removal of plasma temporarily decreases oxygen in the bloodstream. This can result in lightheadedness when standing up or walking around. This should pass 4-6 hours after your donation.
Fatigue. Fatigue is common after the lightheadedness has passed. You may feel like you need a nap. Listen to your body and rest when possible.
Bruising and Discomfort. If the needle is not inserted into your vein correctly, the area may become bruised and painful. This shouldn’t last more than 4-7 days after your donation.
Dehydration. This is the most serious of the potential complications. When your blood is drawn, vital fluids and minerals are removed along with your plasma. Without the correct levels of electrolytes and minerals in your blood, a seizure is possible. This is why it’s so important to drink plenty of fluids on the days you donate plasma.
Site Infection. There is a slight possibility of developing an infection at the needle site.

One of the least common side effects is a reaction to the citrate, the anticoagulant used to prevent your blood from clotting during the procedure. Some donors have a reaction such as a tingling sensation around the mouth and nose or in the fingers. If the case is severe, there can be a slowing or rapid pulse, shivering, shortness of breath or twitching.

The signs to look for include:

Tingling or numbness in the toes, fingers and lips
Shivering
Metallic taste
Muscle twitches
Vibrations all over the body
Lightheadedness
Chills
Shortness of breath
Slow or rapid pulse

These symptoms can become severe if not treated. The severe symptoms include:

Vomiting
Cardiac arrest
Spasms
Irregular pulse
Shock

Are There Long Term Side Effects of Donating Plasma Frequently?

If you donate plasma frequently (or are planning to), you’re probably wondering if there are any long-term side effects.

Although your body replenishes your plasma very quickly, long term side effects can include:

blackouts
fatigue
weight loss
dehydration
rubbery legs
pains

The worst-case scenario, while rare, is hypocalcemia. This condition can be fatal. Some individuals experience tingling, fainting, numbness, seizures, or muscle contractions.

Depleting your calcium can be very dangerous, leading to serious health conditions. This includes heart arrhythmias, osteoporosis, breathing issues, chronic kidney issues, seizures, eye strain, and brittle bones.

Super Important Disclaimer: consult your doctor before entering any sort of plasma donation routine!

How Often Can You Donate Plasma?

Some centers allow you to make up two donations in a 7-day period, while others restrict you to one donation per month.

Limitations have been set by the FDA for plasma donations to ensure the safety and health of the individual.

Is Your Plasma Donation Income Taxable?

There’s actually a lot of debate on this subject!

According to the IRS, your donation is classified as a non-cash gift and does not have to be reported as a part of your income.

(Though some plasma donors insist the income is taxable, none mentioned receiving 1099s for their donations or reporting their income.)

However, don’t consider this tax advice and be sure to consult with your accountant for a more definitive answer.

Is Donating Plasma Ethical?

Look, it’s your blood and time. You should be able to do what you choose with your own plasma.

On top of that, you’re helping save lives. The bottom line is, yes a plasma donation is considered ethical.

The only scenario I can thank of that would be unethical is if you knowingly didn’t meet the donation safety requirements and attempted to donate anyway.

Then you’re putting lives at risk—and for what? To make a few extra bucks?

Can You Donate Plasma for Free?

If you’re uncomfortable accepting payment for your plasma donation, you can make a donation for free. (Or you could always donate your earnings to charity.)

Some people are not comfortable donating without knowing where or how their donation will be used. If this is how you feel, there are centers accepting donations strictly for medical purposes and saving lives.

In most cases, you’ll only be able to make one donation every 28 days.

Remember, every donation you make can potentially save three lives. That’s worth a lot more than whatever payment you might receive.

Donating Plasma as a Side Hustle: Conclusions

Donating plasma is certainly a viable option to earn extra money in your spare time.

However, I think it is best for people who:

Meet the requirements
Have a flexible schedule
Live or work near a donation center (remember transportation time and costs eat into your earnings)
Don’t have a problem with blood or needles

On the plus side, it’s a relatively easy way to add some breathing room to your budget.

On the down side, it can be time-consuming and comes with potential side effects. And it will be difficult to scale beyond a $300 a month.

Alternatives to Donating Plasma to Make Extra Money

What could you do instead? Here’s a monster list of ways to make extra money.

Here are some of the leading options that might be a good fit.

Focus Groups, Consumer Research Studies, and Surveys

Several companies facilitate online and in-person consumer research studies and focus groups.

My personal favorite is Respondent, where the average pay rate is over $100 an hour. Here’s our full Respondent review.

If you have downtime during your day (like to go donate plasma), you might be interested in these online survey sites and apps. Generally they pay very little, but it can add up, and they’ve very easy to do:

Driving for Dollars

You’ve probably heard of people driving with Lyft or Uber to earn extra money. These have an advantage over donating plasma in that you’re not limited to doing it 2x a week!

You can do these as your schedule allows.

And if you don’t like the idea of having strangers in your car, there are some interesting delivery options as well, including:

Instacart – Get paid to shop for and deliver other people’s groceries. Enjoy weekly payouts and a flexible schedule. Check out our full Instacart Shopper review here, with insights from a side hustler earning an extra $450-500 a week.
DoorDash – Make up to $25 an hour as a food delivery driver for DoorDash. Here’s our full DoorDash driver review.
Shipt – Earn up to $22 an hour delivering groceries and household essentials to nearby Shipt members.

Mobile Notary Service

Several Side Hustle Nation readers have reported great success ($1500 a month and up!) becoming loan signing agents.

Check the link above to learn more about how this side hustle works and why it might just be “the best kept secret in real estate.”

Your Turn

What do you think? Have you donated plasma and gotten paid for it?

Let me know in the comments below!

Serious About Making Extra Money?

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Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.

Making money in real estate typically requires owning the property, right?

Coming up with a large down payment, securing financing, dealing with tenants, handling maintenance and repairs.

The barriers to entry aren’t exactly low.

But what if you could skip all that and still bring in serious cash flow by renting out apartments and homes without buying them?

When Richie Matthews and his wife were looking to supplement their seasonal events business in late 2019, rental arbitrage seemed like an ideal side hustle.

Little did they know that just a few months later, that tiny side hustle would quickly scale into a business managing 60 units and generating over $2.5 million in revenue and $700k in profits. He now runs his company, iStayUSA.com.

Tune in to Episode 588 of The Side Hustle Show learn how to:

Test unfamiliar models with tiny experiments before going “all in”
Identify profitable properties to rent (and get approval from landlords)
Build scalable systems and processes
Diversify marketing channels and revenue streams

Sponsor

Factor — Get 50% off America’s #1 ready-to-eat meal delivery service w/ code sidehustle50!

Getting Started with the First Unit

Richie had heard about the concept of rental arbitrage—renting properties long-term and then subletting them on sites like Airbnb. He was skeptical, but the model seemed promising:

Low startup costs compared to other real estate side hustles
Strong cashflow potential from the rental rate spread
Ability to test with just one unit before committing further

He decided to start small by pursuing one apartment in downtown San Diego. After plenty of “no’s,” he finally convinced a building manager to give him a chance on a one-bedroom unit that had been sitting vacant.

She even agreed to four weeks of free rent upfront as a concession. In February 2020, Richie signed the corporate lease and got to work setting up that first apartment.

“It was an IKEA explosion in there,” he says of the $4,300 furniture budget, about $5-6 per square foot.

Six weeks later, he’d earned back his upfront investment through Airbnb bookings.

With proof of concept in hand, Richie added three more units in the same building over the next couple months.

Pivoting in the Face of COVID-19

Then in March 2020, COVID turned the world upside down. The events company he and his wife had spent 15 years building was decimated overnight as festivals and gatherings were banned nationwide.

At the same time, the promising side rental arbitrage business was just hitting its stride.

Facing disaster on one front and opportunity on the other, Richie and his wife made a bold decision—they would go “all in” on growing the short-term rental business as fast as possible.

Over the next 6 months, Richie negotiated leases for a total of 9 units across 3 buildings in different cities, as landlords looked to diversify their tenant base against a backdrop of possible eviction suspensions.

Occupancy and rates were down everywhere, but the cashflow spreads still worked as many travelers like healthcare workers continued moving about. For instance, they started hosting traveling nurses and teachers conducting classes via Zoom.

Evaluating Markets and Properties

As Richie evaluates potential markets and units, he has a set of criteria he analyzes:

Unit Types

Richie focuses his search on 2-bedroom apartments rather than houses or studios. Two bedrooms best accommodate different types of travelers, from families to nurses to consultants. He avoids studios because overall demand is lower.

The apartments themselves tend to be 10-15 years old —not brand new construction where he’d be paying for all the landlord’s latest upgrades and amenities, but still nice enough to furnish and sublet.

Market Selection

His market selection relies heavily on predictive data from sites like AirDNA indicating rental demand. But he also requires evidence of:

Strong business travel – Is there a major company HQ or sizable office workforce?
Mid-term rental demand – from large hospitals and/or military bases
Year-round tourism and vacation travel

Financials

His goal is a minimum 2:1 rental rate spread—if he’s paying $2,500 / month for the lease, he wants the unit generating around $5,000 / month on average. He used free tools like Mashvisor and the Pro plan on AirDNA to estimate unit performance.

He also cross-references direct comps by studying similar listings on Airbnb in the neighborhood. How are their calendars and photos? Are they getting bookings? This helps him gauge market demand.

Building a Process-Driven Business

As Richie added more and more units, he knew he couldn’t keep running everything solo. He started systematically building an operations team to take over day-to-day management.

He brought on a dedicated Operations Manager locally to handle issues and oversee teams. For remote front desk help, he hired virtual assistants in the Philippines to handle guest communication.

For cleaning and turnover services, he recruited and trained his own housekeepers rather than outsourcing to a vacation rental management company. He pays them hourly rather than per turn.

The team developed extensive systems and processes over time:

Guest screening protocols
Security monitoring with Minut sensors
Noise violation enforcement
Emergency contingency plans

Richie says that discovering the ability to build repeatable systems and processes was hugely important in being able to step back from daily operations. It’s allowed the business to scale efficiently to 60 units while improving profit margins along the way.

Diversifying Beyond Airbnb

Airbnb was Richie’s first platform for listing and renting the units, but over time he has expanded to multiple booking channels. Currently, Airbnb represents 60% of his bookings, with the rest split across:

Vrbo
Direct bookings
Mid-term rental platforms like Furnished Finder and Hello Landing

He also cultivates referral partnerships to drive additional mid-term rental business—nurses, relocation firms, military contracts, etc.

Richie sees this channel diversification as vital in an evolving regulatory environment where cities like San Diego have considered restricting short-term rentals.

He also believes niche opportunities abound for services catering specifically to short-term rental hosts looking to professionalize and scale up their own listings.

The Technology Stack

As the business has grown, Richie has incorporated various software tools and platforms to optimize different parts of the operation:

Pricing/Calendar:

PriceLabs – dynamic pricing engine to maximize occupancy

Rental Websites:

Airbnb
Vrbo
Expedia (previously)
Booking (previously)
Furnished Finder
Hello Landing
Direct booking site

Property Management:

Hospitable – channel manager + guest messaging
Guesty (previously)

Market Analysis:

AirDNA
Mashvisor (previously)

Guest Screening:

Built-in Airbnb host tools
Custom caller screening questions
Security deposits

Security Monitoring:

Minut sensors – monitor noise in apartments

Financial Snapshot

Once up and running, Richie’s target profit is $1,250 – $1,500 per month per unit after all expenses. 

So while the upfront legwork is extensive, the model can cashflow very nicely within a reasonable timeframe. With 60 units currently, Richie’s business brought in over $2.5 million in revenue last year and over $700k in profit.

Not bad for a “side hustle” that started with a single vacation rental unit!

Community Building

Additionally, Richie founded a Creative Airbnb with Richie Matthews Facebook group connecting hosts globally to discuss best practices. He spends more time mentoring others as his personal role normalizes toward an owner-operator focus.

The goal becomes perfecting systems for productivity and guest satisfaction before releasing them publicly to help fellow rental managers.

Regulations and Controversies

A major issue facing the short-term rental industry is the affordable housing crisis affecting many communities.

When landlords or tenants lease properties solely to list them on Airbnb, it reduces supply for long-term residents and drives up rents overall.

In response, cities like San Diego have considered severe restrictions around short-term rentals. This is something hosts must consider and prepare for.

Richie aims to be conscientious—he pursues listings primarily in buildings that already have high vacancy rates rather than displacing existing long-term tenants. He also signs flexibility into his leases so he can pivot if regulatory changes happen.

Proper insurance is another key – most standard renters insurance policies will not cover short-term rental activities, so hosts need special insurance. Richie uses Proper which runs about $90 per unit per month.

So while municipal regulations exist or could be coming in many markets, there are also tailwinds—some cities actually encourage short-term rentals now as a way to generate more hotel/accommodations tax revenue for local coffers.

Key Takeaways

Richie’s journey serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to turn side hustle skills into a profitable business:

Test unfamiliar models with tiny experiments before going “all in”
Stay nimble and embrace opportunities, even in uncertainty
Build scalable systems and processes early on
Diversify marketing channels and revenue streams
Focus on profitability metrics rather than solely revenue growth

The short-term rental arbitrage model clearly works and scales nicely once up and running. However, hosts must carefully consider market selection, regulatory risks, and business processes in order to succeed long-term.

With effort and persistence, one of those experiments could blossom into a thriving full-time business over time!

Episode Links

iStayUSA.com
Airbnb
AirDNA
Mashvisor
Minut
Vrbo
Furnished Finder
Hello Landing
PriceLabs
Expedia
Booking
Hospitable
Guesty
Creative Airbnb with Richie Matthews Facebook group

Looking for More Side Hustle Help?

Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day email course shows you how to add $500 to your bottom line.
Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Facebook group is the best place to connect with other side hustlers and get your questions answered.
Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares how to make extra money with actionable weekly episodes.