Participants in NASA's bed
Below is a short list:
Sell your blood plasma
Payout (per donation): $20-$50
Plasma is the largest component of the human blood. It's a clear liquid that contains mostly water but is also filled with enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins. The plasma is used to create therapies that treat people with blood clotting disorders, autoimmune diseases, and even burn victims. According to DonatingPlasma.org, donating plasma is often called "the gift of life," since in most cases synthetic therapies are not available.
During plasma donation, blood is drawn and an automated machine separates the plasma from other blood components, which are returned to the donor. Most plasma collection facilities set their own compensation rate, but the average payout ranges from $20-$50 per donation. You can donate roughly once a month, according to the American Red Cross. To find a licensed and certified plasma center, click here.
Donate your sex cells
Payout for eggs (per donation): $5,000-$10,000; Payout for sperm (per donation): $30-$200
Egg donation allows women whose ovaries do not produce healthy eggs to become pregnant using another woman's donated eggs. In the United States, eggs donors can net anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 (the upper-limit recommended by The American Society of Reproductive Medicine). At Weill Cornell, the compensation per egg donation cycle is $8,000, including a free medical screening. The medical college outlines the standard steps for egg donation, which requires about a four-week time commitment.
During the egg donation cycle, patients are injected with fertility drugs so that the ovaries make more mature eggs than normal. (Eligible women are generally between the ages of 21 and 35 sine older women's eggs don't respond as well to fertility drugs). The actual egg retrieval procedure takes about 20 minutes, but may require several days of recovery. Donors should be aware of the risks involved in the egg donation process (largely related to the hormones used) before signing up.
Men can donate their sperm, although this isn't quite as lucrative as egg donation given that it's much easier process. Men are paid anywhere from $30 to $200 per donation, according to FertilityCommunity.com, but that can add up to more than pocket change if you donate hundreds of samples (many programs require a six-month or one-year donation commitment).
Lie in bed for 70 days straight
Payout: $18,000
NASA will pay you to stay in bed for 70 days, 24 hours a day, to simulate some of the changes that an astronaut's body goes through in weightlessness during space flight. To apply for the bed rest study, fill out this form. If you think this sounds like an easy task, keep in mind that the selection committee is looking for participants that possess the physical and psychological traits of a real astronaut. Roni Cromwell, a senior scientist for the study told Forbes: "We want to make sure we select people who are mentally ready to spend 70 days in bed. Not everyone is comfortable with that. Not every type of person can tolerate an extended time in bed."
Donate a testical
Payout: $35,000
On an episode of TLC's "Extreme Cheapskates" a Las Vegas man, Mark Parisi, has figured out a way to live a cheap life by signing up for medical trials, saving himself $750 or more, according to a trailer for the show. Most recently, Parisi agreed to donate one of his testicles, which will be replaced by an artificial one, for $35,000. During an appearance on CBS' "The Doctors," Parisi revealed that he would us the money to buy a Nissan 370Z.
Sign up for a paid clinical trials
Payout: Varies by program
The National Institute for Health runs a searchable database, ClincalTrials.gov, for human clinical studies around the world. Participants may be a guinea pig for new medical products, like drugs to treat high blood pressure, or be a part of observational research, like a study that records the effects of different lifestyles on heart health. Subjects are generally paid to be a part of clinical trials, and in general, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: "The amount of compensation is determined by the amount of time you will be required to dedicate to the trial, and to the level of discomfort that might be associated with medical or surgical procedures related directly to the study."
Enroll in a psychological study
Payout: Varies by program
Paid psychological studies, such as those that examine behavior and brain function, may not generate as high of a return as clinical trials, but they are generally lower risk and require a shorter time commitment. Most research universities keep an online database of studies so people can easily sign up. For example, here's a list of the most recent paid research studies offered by New York University. You can make $10 to watch a movie or $50 to get your brain scanned.