@wrosie wrote:

They have WIFI and I can check my e-mail and stuff one handed on my tablet during the donation process.

I hear you on the demographics, wrosie. I had actually envisioned that myself (and was thinking of possible needle safety issues as a result). I didn't want to say it outright, b/c of the sometimes unfair overly broad negative generalizations that can occur with associating people with certain things. It's something I'll certainly be prepared for mentally when going (if I do).

I would definitely ask my local place about their needle procedures before going in.

re: Wifi

I've mentioned this to lots of forum members every time I hear people say they check their email on public Wifi. BE CAREFUL. I was at Barnes & Noble and I logged into their Wifi and checked my email. I used it for 30-40 minutes and drove straight home (15-20 minute drive). I was completely locked out of my email upon returning home. Someone had intercepted me on public Wifi and got my password and changed it. They looked through some things and who knows what they found. I never do MSC work on public Wifi either, b/c our SS#, bank account/PayPal, birthdates, etc. are all listed on MSC sites. If someone hacked us, they would have access to lots of sensitive information. Was also taught: never log into anything on public Wifi. Only browse!

My son donated plasma on the regular but I haven't ever. My tip: be sure to drink a lot of water first. I have recycled many many times and do not know how to throw metal away. It's a curse. I see a broken appliance I see cash being thrown away if I was to try and throw it away. My window unit a/c went out a couple of years ago. I took it broke it down and junked it, even though I was not broke or anything! I have old cords around here somewhere because that's copper (cash) and a broken coffee pot somewhere with a cord on it (more change) lol. I just couldn't throw money away. I have a 98 Explorer that the transmission went out on. I won't' call someone to pick it up and pay me. I will buy a reciprocating saw from Home depot, cut the catalytic converter off and then junk it. ( I haven't yet because I"m going to buy a shed. The lawnmower is locked in it right now) lol.

Plasma is also donated widely by college students, which is why you see plasma facilities in towns with colleges. When I was in college it was very common for a student go down to the local plasma vampires (as I call them) to get some beer money for the weekend...and that was back come 20+ years ago. I never did it myself, but have known many who did.

The town I live in now always had a very small community college but never had a plasma center until recently when the college expanded and it's student population tripled. All of a sudden...boom, we got a plasma vampire facility.

I know plasma is needed to help others live and survive, but it never did sit well with me to sell a part of my body. On the flip side, I wonder why people are paid for plasma donations yet are expected to donate whole blood for free.

I have donated blood many times with no problems. I am sure donating plasma is equally problem free.
It is a donation here (Canada), no payment.

Blood and plasma are both collected at most blood banks as donations with no payment. I have done both. Plasma donation takes a chunk of time, whether it is as a donation or as a sold product. I sold plasma in college to pay for books. For a few years in this century before I became ineligible due to age, I did the plasma shops, where a commercial facility paid me for the plasma and the MSC paid me for the facility evaluation. Between the two payments it was a $100 morning (or afternoon). The facilities that pay are usually in pretty rough neighborhoods, they are not facilities with gracious waiting areas and relaxing music, but I never doubted that they were sanitary as clean product is the goal of the commercial organization.

I was willing to donate blood until they started the inducements program.
I did not want or need inducements. I just wanted to be a quiet, nobody sort of volunteer. Now, it does not matter. I must have frequent blood draws for thyroid. That is enough for me.

Well, hopefully this thread will get back on track, but I just wanted to say that I think there are better ways to make money. Personally, I'd rather flip burgers with a bunch of snot-nosed teens than sell my biologicals to some seedy plasma vampire clinic in a seedy section of town. Just the thought of it sounds revolting and somehow wrong.

Yet I love old vampire movies...go figure! lol

Just my 2 cents.

Would you feel near as bad about being paid for your plasma if you knew how many 1000's of dollars they sell your blood for to hospitals? (In essence, to the patient/insurance company?) I was shocked when I read an article about it one time. Take a look at this article about the Red Cross when you get a chance: [otenews.com]

It's not that I feel bad for taking money, it's just the idea of selling a part of me for a couple bucks. It's like, ugh, I can't afford to eat today. Guess I better go sell a piece of my liver. You can make more money flipping burgers, no loss of part of your body, but maybe part of your dignity lol

The expenses incurred in collecting, cataloguing, storing and transporting blood and blood products is high, Therefore the cost of the blood and blood products is high. That is the story of the American healthcare system as well as everything else in America - high costs.

There is a strong need for biologicals to help those who are sick. The 'vampire' outfit I used to donate plasma to is a reputable pharmaceutical company that could isolate out of a pint of plasma components to keep 6 to 8 other people alive. Unlike blood donation, you can donate plasma every few days with little or no impact to your own body--generally a bottle of Gatorade had me appropriately rehydrated and ready to go. They really liked my plasma because as a kid I had measles, German measles, chicken pox, mumps, whooping cough and had been kept up on Tetanus & Typhoid shots as well as shots for polio and smallpox. The absence of the various Hepatitis, STDs and HIV made it even wider possible use range.

@merchmerch wrote:

Personally, I'd rather flip burgers with a bunch of snot-nosed teens than sell my biologicals to some seedy plasma vampire clinic in a seedy section of town.

For those who may have the spare time and may not need the immediate income, sometimes volunteering at a hospital (health care is been a huge source of jobs in the U.S. economy) can open up doors to you for a good job.

When I was 15, I volunteered at our local hospital. I did it three summers in a row (or maybe two...at least two for sure...but memory is fuzzy for the third). My mom drove me several times a week to the local hospital during summer to work there all day.

I worked in the E.R. and I did patient visiting. In the E.R., I did various errands for doctors, like running bio material to the labs to be tested and replacing dirty bed sheets. At the E.R. check-in desk, I also did errands for the main attendant, such as organizing files (mostly) and recording check-in information for patients.

There was a girl a few years older than me (I think she was about 21), who volunteered a few years too, I believe. She did a great job (no pay the entire time) and they hospital hired her and I remember she ended up working there full-time. The starting pay, I believe, was over $20/hour. I remember them telling us younger volunteers her story in case we might want a job there too some day.

Over 15 years ago, so maybe thingns have changed, but I do remember that girl getting a pretty nice job and the staff would remind us of it.

The volunteers they had were of every age bracket. I recall people in their teens, such as myself, to people who appeared 60 years old. If nothing else, it's also a great way to make new friends.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2019 09:12AM by shoptastic.

The plasma pay where I went was as stated above, $30 if you're under 175 lbs. (For the first 5 visits, $10 thereafter). The process itself was as stated above, up to 90 minutes. The WAIT TIME made it an all day affair. The rudeness and lackadaisical attitudes of the staff made it frustrating. Spending all day and being treated like a POS, not worth $30. I donated twice but went many times to find the line so long that it didn't make sense to stay. I still feel the rage every time I drive by.

I do scrapping too but I don't drive around looking for it. The profit would not pay for the gas to do so. I grab it when I see it and accumulate it at home. If it's a large find, near home, I'll run home and get the truck, hoping it's still there when I get back. Gotta be quick, though, it goes fast.

We are lucky, just now. There is extra work for the hubby job every day for awhile.

@merchmerch wrote:

It's not that I feel bad for taking money, it's just the idea of selling a part of me for a couple bucks. It's like, ugh, I can't afford to eat today. Guess I better go sell a piece of my liver.

I also have a kidney or two for sale, if anyone's interested.

Many lifetimes ago, a coworker gave a kidney to their mom. No fanfare, Ho hoopla. Just a few days off and back to business after that.

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

Would you feel near as bad about being paid for your plasma if you knew how many 1000's of dollars they sell your blood for to hospitals? (In essence, to the patient/insurance company?) I was shocked when I read an article about it one time. Take a look at this article about the Red Cross when you get a chance: [otenews.com]

It's because they need to pay the exorbitant salaries to their top officials.

I tried to donate plasma once. I'm guessing I looked too clean cut and the (ancient) doc must've thought I was an investigator or something. He took all my information, then disqualified me, and thanked me for coming in. I was actually glad to be dq'ed as the place seemed full of druggies.

@iShop123 wrote:

It's because they need to pay the exorbitant salaries to their top officials.

I tried to donate plasma once. I'm guessing I looked too clean cut and the (ancient) doc must've thought I was an investigator or something. He took all my information, then disqualified me, and thanked me for coming in. I was actually glad to be dq'ed as the place seemed full of druggies.

Seriously?! Wow, that's like reverse discrimination... lol. Too clean for us. Nope - get out of here!! crazy

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2020 11:44PM by shoptastic.

They will disqualify you if you have done any "at risk" activities recently. Traveled abroad included. They will also disqualify you if your veins roll when they try to stick you. Of course, no one tells you that to prevent your veins from rolling drink a lot of water the 24 hours before going. If you are dehydrated even a little your veins could "run away". I didn't learn this till my doctor's nurse told me when my vein got away from her.

There is money in scrap metal. The problem is though that thieves have messed up the game for everybody. It's hard work and even hard to find stainless or aluminum. You have develope a network of mechanic shops or be in the HVAC industry or plumbing industry. My problem is I can't throw metal away now. When I see metal trash I see cash. Most don't pay much and you need a whole load to make any money. The last time I replaced my broken window unit a/c I broke down the old one (disassembled into separate metals, aluminum, copper and tin)) and took it up there. They made me go back home and get the receipt for the new one. Basically, if someone tells you you can have their old scrap lying around you won't have a receipt not sure you can sell it nowadays. I can just see myself buying $50 worth of coins and finding all face value coins. Not worth my time. Wouldn't mind being a psychic reader or sex phone person though (haha). But I don't have a clue how to get those jobs too tough. I don't know the meanings of all the Taro cards or even the chrystals by heart.

Those are very scammy gigs. I could never be a part of that kind of racket.

I used to make some good occasional money scrapping. @F and L TeleComm there are books that teach you the meanings of the tarot cards. I used to do readings for my friends and I learned them all pretty fast. I still have a beautiful set of cards somewhere.

I was referring to the phone gigs. Most of those charlatans are choosing from a script, I doubt they have any Tarot cards on their end.

Oh yeah, but you can open up a storefront and make money or even a spare room in your house if you wanna hang some beads and get the atmosphere right. I found it rather draining and would rather not do it but then again I wasn't a fake.

I don't even come close to having the right look for that gig. It doesn't fly in my region anyway.

Mine either. I'd be burned at the stake. Or maybe more likely dragged to the church on the corner and prayed over.

Continuing off topic here, but...
Many years ago, I got in touch with my spiritual side and decided to really open up my mind to other types of things like tarot readings, runes, tea reading, all kinds of stuff. I thought about opening up a storefront on the boardwalk. I spent a lot of money on a lot of stuff, but it was one of my most care free and open times of my life and I kind of miss it. There are tons of scammers, but if there's something to be taken away from everything if you let yourself see something that you normally wouldn't. I'm really glad though, that I live in an area that is open to this stuff and while it may seem like a quick buck on the boardwalk scamming tourists, those people are legit and you'll get out of it what you put into it. I love seeing the neon tarot signs up and down the boardwalk here and in Atlantic City and where there's a lot of spirituality on South Street in Philly

When we went to Atlantic City 5 years ago, my sister had her palm read by this woman on the boardwalk. That lady wasn't accurate. She missed on all points, especially the part about my sister (in her mid 60s) finding her true love in the next 6 months (she is still single with no boyfriend) talking about my sister's 4 kids (she has 2) and her many future grandchildren, LOL (neither of her kids are in relationships and neither of them want kids). So yeah, some people have a gift but there are plenty who do not.

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

There is money in scrap metal. The problem is though that thieves have messed up the game for everybody. It's hard work and even hard to find stainless or aluminum. You have develope a network of mechanic shops or be in the HVAC industry or plumbing industry. My problem is I can't throw metal away now. When I see metal trash I see cash. Most don't pay much and you need a whole load to make any money. The last time I replaced my broken window unit a/c I broke down the old one (disassembled into separate metals, aluminum, copper and tin)) and took it up there. They made me go back home and get the receipt for the new one. Basically, if someone tells you you can have their old scrap lying around you won't have a receipt not sure you can sell it nowadays. I can just see myself buying $50 worth of coins and finding all face value coins. Not worth my time. Wouldn't mind being a psychic reader or sex phone person though (haha). But I don't have a clue how to get those jobs too tough. I don't know the meanings of all the Taro cards or even the chrystals by heart.

Nah, when you figure in all expenses, even time, MS jobs pay more than scrapping metal unless you can get your hands on a good amount for copper and other such higher valued metals.

I never thought I'd see the day when I'd say "MS jobs pay more than [insert whatever here]". lol

@CoffeeQueen wrote:

Oh yeah, but you can open up a storefront and make money or even a spare room in your house if you wanna hang some beads and get the atmosphere right. I found it rather draining and would rather not do it but then again I wasn't a fake.

You were claiming to be able to read peoples' futures from a set of laminated paper with fancy ink/designs on it, yet you weren't a fake? I don't doubt you actually believe in it, but let's, at the very least, give a better effort at rational thinking here

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2020 11:30PM by merchmerch.