It's entirely possible you may spend time while you're in college without gainful employment. The reasons for not having a job can be varied: You might have too much schoolwork, you might have trouble finding a job at all, you might need time to find yourself and figure out who you are, etc. But the fact remains, you still need money. And if a job is out of the question, it's time to get creative. They seem a little distasteful at first, but there are all sorts of ways to retail your body for cash, and all are entirely legal.
Sell your plasma
This is a good way to get a lot of money, if you plan it right. There are many places in Orlando to donate plasma, including Biotest Plasma Center, located right next to UCF, which extracts and ships your plasma (the liquid portion of your blood) to labs to be used as material for creating biopharmaceutical products. You'll have to get a physical examination beforehand, but once that's done, you're off to the races. You'll sit in a resting chair, have a needle inserted into a vein in your arm, and stay there for one or two hours as the machine draws your plasma. It pays pretty well, around $25-$50 every time, but the real keys are the deals and bonuses new donors receive, plus various online coupons and promotions that throw in a few extra bucks if you bring in a friend. (Biotest Plasma Center, 2501 Discover Drive, 407-207-1932, biotestplasma.com)
Sell your gametes
If you're comfortable being a mother or father without directly knowing your offspring (at least at first, anyway; parents of children born by reproductive donation are encouraged to let them know their actual parentage when they come of age), there's good money to be made helping other people's dreams of parenthood come true. Cryos International, which calls itself the world's largest sperm bank, is located near UCF and the Central Florida Research Park. Sperm donations can earn you between $400 to $1,300 per month, but visits to the center will be frequent – you may be asked to go up to three times a week. As for egg donations, which Cryos also performs, you'll get between $5,000 and $5,500, but the donation procedure is much more complex. (Cryos International, 2200 N. Alafaya Trail, 407-203-1175, usa.cryosinternational.com)
Join a clinical drug trial
You can always opt in to a clinical trial if you want to help find the next life-saving treatment or medical practice (and make a bit of cash). Orlando research facilities run a wide spread of studies designed to develop drugs to fight diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, depression, lupus, migraines and more. And you don't need health insurance to participate. CenterWatch.com lists clinical trials in the Orlando area; use it to find a study you qualify for. Compensation and level of commitment varies.
Sell your hair
Believe it or not, there's an active market for different kinds of hair to buy and sell. If you're feeling like a drastic cut is just the thing to set off your new college look, do some research in advance to see how you can sell the remains for a nice profit. The forthrightly titled BuyAndSellHair.com is a good site to use.
