Many people are turned off by the idea of selling anything from a human body for money. This aversion carries over to blood and blood products. However, if it were not for the willingness of many to either donate or sell their blood, a lot of people who are alive today would not be. Some blood banks, not the Red Cross, are commercial banks and buy your blood to sell it for a profit. Others extract your blood, remove parts of it like platelets, and return the rest back into your veins for your body to use.
When giving whole blood, this can only be done about every 6 weeks or so. Whole blood will often fetch a few dollars more than blood products. The going rate can be above $40 per pint depending on your area and the level of demand. My type “o” blood is always being sought since it can be given to all of the other blood types that match on the positive or negative Rh factor.
If you are going to give whole blood, the same rules apply as if you are donating it to the Red Cross. There are certain parts of the world that you cannot have visited within the past year or two. Several places in Central America come to mind because of Malaria and other blood borne pathogens. If you have ever tested positive for HIV, you are out. Anemia will exclude you. If you weigh too little (usually around 100 to 110 pounds or less), you are not allowed to give. Some medications, like blood thinners, will eliminate you from being a donor.
If you are giving blood products, the rules are sometimes a little more relaxed because the risk to you is lessened. You can give most blood products weekly. The payment is normally $25 or more. I actually know of a couple who paid their $200 per month dorm rental by giving blood products every week. They now have track marks like a junkie, but they got their degrees.
Plan on needing about an hour to give blood. This can increase if there is a crowd. Eat an hour or so before you go. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids ahead of time, too. Believe it or not, this makes it easier for your blood to be drawn. Try to be relaxed. If you are prone to feel sick when you see blood, do not try to watch the procedure. Expect a little pain. It is more like a dull ache if you do have any pain.
When you are finished giving blood, do not jump up and dash across the floor. This can cause you to feel faint and to pass out. Take your time, and eat a cookie and drink some juice. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes before leaving to make sure that you are going to do alright.
