Easy Money: Donating Plasma in Northern Colorado is a Great ‘Side Hustle’

It doesn't take much, it helps out a lot of people, and it pays very good. Donating plasma. There are several locations around Fort Collins to do so, too.

I got into donating plasma about seven years ago, as a friend of mine worked at CSL Plasma at Campus West in Fort Collins and talked it up a lot. It's fairly easy and pays pretty well.

Plasma is a portion of your blood that is mostly water and proteins, which helps your body control bleeding and infection. Your body also easily replenishes its supply.

Plasma's used in several ways:

• Treating burn victims and those suffering from shock.
• Treating serious disorders such as hemophilia and immune system deficiencies.
• And, more recently, to treat those with COVID-19.

Plasma cannot be manufactured at all. Only healthy adult humans produce it. That's why donors get paid for their donations.

I currently go to BioLife in Loveland. I go twice a week. The first donation of the week is $20 and the second is $50.  The reason for the $20/$50 is so that you'll return more frequently. If they paid a flat $35 each time, people would not donate as often.

They also have 'specials' throughout the year. For example, they might add $15 to your last four donations of the month.

Your first day of donating will take 2 to 3 hours to get you signed up, a cursory physical, a short education on what you'll be doing and then through your first donation. For every donation after that, the process takes about 90 minutes once you pass through the doors.

Plasma donations really are a win-win: People who need plasma therapy benefit, and donors get money for basically giving nothing but their time.

There are two BioLife locations in Northern Colorado, one in Loveland and one in Longmont.  CSL Plasma also has two locations, one in Fort Collins and one in Greeley.