Go (Get) Green!

Lane Blackmer

We’ve all seen it before – unruly characters, hair carelessly sprawling out in every direction, raggedy clothes tattered at the seams and distinct stench of uncleanliness. These characters are often seen collecting beer cans spread out on the ground due to a six-story fall from dorm windows. Some like to think of them as bums. Others: the typical under-privileged college student.

It’s true that most MSU students living in dorms are paying somewhere near $16,000 a year. Instead of collecting cans to pay cell phone bills and selling books you probably might not even use the rest of this semester, there are several other options for the struggling MSU undergraduate.

The first and most well-paid way to earn extra cash is to donate blood plasma to one of Lansing’s two plasma centers. At BR Plasma Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, a plasma virgin is paid $40 for their generous donation. A second visit is worth $50. After the second visit, donating plasma is $25 with an occasional bonus.

The process of donating plasma is simple. In fact, it’s a little like donating blood. The blood is drawn, except red blood cells are put back into the donor. Regeneration occurs after 24 hours, as opposed to the 56 required to regenerate red blood cells.

The bonus to this quick money maker is that you will be saving lives. Blood plasma is used on burn victims to regenerate skin, on hemophiliacs to allow their blood to clot and in vaccinations.

Social security number, current address and a valid ID will be required for donating plasma.

Another option for quick, easy cash is consignment shops. Several of these shops exist in East Lansing, such as the three on Grand River; Plato’s Closet, Scavenger Hunt and Carousel Consignments.

Plato’s Closet is a consignment shop accepting clothing fresh from the racks, about one to two years recent, and in good condition. More upscale names in clothing are present at Plato’s Closet like Hollister, American Eagle, Charlotte Russe and Abercrombie and Fitch. Shoes, purses and other accessories are present at Plato’s Closet as well.

Plato’s Closet will reimburse up to $50 on all clothing items.

Scavenger Hunt, located on Grand River, buys clothing dating from the 80s and back for 25 percent of the sales price. (Say the owners wanted to sell an item for $10. They would buy it for $2.50.)

Remember that radical 80s party you went to last weekend? Scavenger Hunt will take those unneeded clothing off your hands.

“We get a lot of [people going to] the theme parties,” said owner Danielle Marckling.

As far as on campus money makers, one could always volunteer for a psychology experiment, paying anywhere from $5 to $20. Conditions of the experiment will be explained and participants will have the choice to sign a consent form.

Also available on campus is a job as a parking attendant, involving minimal commitment. On game days for football, hockey or basketball, parking attendants sit outside parking areas and direct cars to appropriate parking. Pay is $8 an hour; however, the pay is set at a different price by the university each year.

Another job with little commitment is a position as a busboy at a sorority.

Questions? Comments? Contact Lane Blackmer at blackm43@msu.edu

Who are you: 
What's Your Major: 
What would you like to say: