Scary and not so Legal Ways to Make Some Quick Cash.

Words: Marly Pierre-Louis • Sep 10th, 2008 • Category: RANDOMNESS.

Ok, so it’s summer time. There are festivals to attend, road trips to go on and ice cream to eat. But… you’re economic stimulus check hasn’t arrived yet!! What to do?? Well I found this article that I wanted to share with ya’ll. Now, just to warn you, not all of these things are 100% legal and as you know, Square Rootz is not in the business of encouraging illegal activity… buterrah, if times get real, real rough… well, you know where to come.

Got Hair?

Gold mine
Gold mine

Real hair is in huge demand for use as hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs. Check out the world’s largest independent hair sale site, Hairtrader. Now, you can’t just sell any old head of hair: hair must be naturally beautiful—that means it’s never been bleached, permed, tinted, highlighted, chemically straightened, or otherwise subjected to the demands of modern life. That rules out about, what… 90% of the population??

Got Piss?

If your urine is drug and alcohol-free, you might be able to strike (liquid) gold.Thanks to the scads of people addicted to drugs and alcohol, there’s a market for good, clean urine to help people ace their drug test. Granted, you could go to jail for selling your pee, but as someone wise and famous once said (probably someone who never attempted to sell their urine), without risk, there is no reward. Urea Sample sells synthetic urine kits to folks looking to beat drug tests for up to $139.95. If you cut out the middle man and go straight to the source, you can make around $200, according to arrest reports.

Is yours clean?
Is yours clean?
Got Skin?
The advertising industry is desperate to find clever new ways to reach people. They’ve already placed ads at eye level on the back of the bathroom stall door, in school buses, on your favorite TV show, your laptop, iPod, and in video games. Now they’re eager to score new real estate—you! In 2006, Web-hosting company Globat purchased ad space on the back of a Lancaster, Pennsylvania man’s neck for an undisclosed sum of money. Robert Reames, III, age twenty-seven, had a globat.com ad tattooed on the back of his neck so he could buy a new car.

Got Milk?
I’ve heard many a lactating mother cry that throwing away expressed breast milk feels like throwing away liquid gold—and they’re right. While there are plenty of banks where you can sell/donate breast milk (once you’ve been screened of course), there’s also a thriving black market of men—or couples—with a breast milk fetish. (Maybe I’m just lactose intolerant, but eew!) Still, I guess if guys can make money selling sperm, why can’t we put the old mammaries to work?

A little pain for a little cash.
A little pain for a little cash.

Got Blood?
It’s actually illegal to sell human organs or tissues, but that doesn’t mean they’re entirely worthless. Many companies will “compensate” you for your time, and more specifically for your plasma—the water and protein-packed portion of your blood—which is easily replaced by the body. To find a donation site in your area, visit Blood Banker. Not only do they have a listing of blood banks that pay cash for your plasma, but they also list additional information about how often you can donate.

Got Body?
No need to wait until you’re dead to donate your body to science. You can do so now, while you’re still alive and kicking, to the tune of several hundred dollars a day, depending on the study. Healthy as a horse? Great! You’re needed. You’re also needed if you smoke, have diabetes, are post-menopausal, have high blood pressure, suffer from insomnia, or have a history of depression. And if you hate drugs, but love shopping, there are clinical trials just for you. Even though drug studies are the most lucrative, research participants are also constantly needed for consumer product testing and mystery shopping sprees, where you can get paid to go to the movies, eat out, buy products, and even drink beer at pubs!


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Marly Pierre-Louis is a passionate promoter for social justice and equality worldwide. Weaned in Brooklyn, raised in Boston and now residing in Philadelphia, it’s no wonder Marly considers herself a vagabond. The funky fresh budget socialite spends most of her days beating the streets of Illadel. A passion for words, beats and laughter is why she joined the collective.
Email this author | See all Square Rootz writing by Marly Pierre-Louis

7 Responses »

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  1. Cute article. Ima need to look into some of this stuff!

  2. Good to know for when the funds are low and the debts are high… Stacking ain’t easy.

  3. Very interesting article.

    I hadn’t thought of many of those things. Maybe it hasn’t gotten that “real” yet.

  4. I wish I had known about this when my hair was almost down to my knees! I can’t believe I gave it to the cancer folks. Hmphf! Who knew I could have gotten paid… lol

  5. I sold my plasma a lot when I was in college it was an easy $35 bucks then and u could do it 3x a week. Great way 2 lose weight 2!…ok maybe I shouldn’t have said that but it was a nice side effect.

  6. LMAO @ AJ!!!

    Uh… thanks for sharing? lol

  7. anybody ever heard of eBay?

    lmao…

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