Trusting Heart Blood Centers aims to solve the nationwide platelet shortage by paying donors and treating them like they’re going to a spa

Expected pay: $35 + (est) per hour

Husl$core: $$$$$

Commissions & fees: NA

Where: Edina, MN; Raleigh, NC, Beverton, OR.

Requirements: Good health; over the age of 18; weigh at least 110 pounds. Pass a health screening.

Trusting Heart Blood Centers review

Trusting Heart Blood Centers aims to solve the nationwide platelet shortage by paying donors and treating them like they’re going to a spa. Each donor is set up in a semi-private cubicle with a lounger, blanket and television remote. You get to watch t.v. during the roughly two hours it will take to draw platelets. And you get paid generously.

Donors are automatically enrolled in the center’s rewards program, which pays new donors upwards of $50 per donation (about $25 per hour). But it pays more to those who give platelets regularly. If you’ve given at least four times, the site pays $100 per donation. 

If you refer a friend, who also donates platelets, you’ll get $125 and so will they. You also get paid $25 for coming in for your first blood screening.

Changes in 2023

Starting in 2023, the payment schedule rises to $75 for first-time donors. The maximum donor payment is $175 per donation after 13 consecutive donations. If you donate the maximum allowable number of times — 24 in 2023 — you can earn $3,450. (And, more, of course, if you refer friends.)

Since platelet donations typically take 90 minutes to two hours, we’ve divided the payments by two to come up with an estimated hourly rate of $35 to $87.50. Not half bad. And, you get the psychological lift of knowing that your donation may also save someone’s life.

Working conditions

The downside to platelet donation is that someone is going to stick a needle in your arm. If you’re afraid of blood or needles, this may not be a good side hustle for you. But, for everyone else, there couldn’t be an easier way to make money.

Outside of the needle, your “work” involves answering a few questions about your lifestyle and health and sitting in a lounge chair, under a blanket, watching t.v. or reading a book. If you want a drink or snack, someone will bring it to you. And when you’re done, they’re going to want to give you more juice and cookies.

The one catch is that you can only donate once every two weeks, so you can’t make a living at this. (For health reasons, the FDA restricts donations to no more than one per week; and 24 per year. Trusting Heart Blood Centers simply restricts people from donating more than once every two weeks.) But, it can provide pretty substantial side hustle income.

Payments 

Payments are made to a fee-free, reloadable debit card and can be accumulated over time. These cards can be used at most retailers, much like a credit card. 

Recommendations:

If Trusting Heart Blood Centers are not in your neighborhood, you may want to check out donating plasma with Biomat or Octapharma Plasma. Donating plasma is much like donating platelets, but it takes a little less time.

And, if you want to do more to help with medical research while getting paid, consider clinical trials.  (Learn more about clinical trials here.)

11/28/2022