Have you considered "donating" plasma to raise cash flow?

[wenchsenior]

This is a slightly related question:

How do you find out your blood type?  I have no idea of mine or my husband's...is this something I should know?

I found out the first time I donated blood. I think you should know.

My SIL and brother had incompatible blood types, its a bothersome thing that is screened for during pregnancy. There is treatment, don't be worried. This falls into the good to know category of information that doesn't affect most people.
http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/risk-factors/blood-incompatibility

No kids here...do you mean that my spouse and I hypothetically might not be able to donate blood to each other?

[netskyblue]

This is a slightly related question:

How do you find out your blood type?  I have no idea of mine or my husband's...is this something I should know?

I found out the first time I donated blood. I think you should know.

My SIL and brother had incompatible blood types, its a bothersome thing that is screened for during pregnancy. There is treatment, don't be worried. This falls into the good to know category of information that doesn't affect most people.
http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/risk-factors/blood-incompatibility

No kids here...do you mean that my spouse and I hypothetically might not be able to donate blood to each other?

Unless you *happen* to be the same blood type, you and your spouse cannot donate blood to each other.  If one of you is AB positive, you can receive from your spouse, no matter what type they have, and if one of you is O negative, you can donate to your spouse no matter what type they have.

https://www.nclexonline.com/blog/who-can-donate-blood-to-whom/

[CindyBS]

This is a slightly related question:

How do you find out your blood type?  I have no idea of mine or my husband's...is this something I should know?

I found out the first time I donated blood. I think you should know.

My SIL and brother had incompatible blood types, its a bothersome thing that is screened for during pregnancy. There is treatment, don't be worried. This falls into the good to know category of information that doesn't affect most people.
http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/about-cerebral-palsy/risk-factors/blood-incompatibility

No kids here...do you mean that my spouse and I hypothetically might not be able to donate blood to each other?

Unless you *happen* to be the same blood type, you and your spouse cannot donate blood to each other.  If one of you is AB positive, you can receive from your spouse, no matter what type they have, and if one of you is O negative, you can donate to your spouse no matter what type they have.

https://www.nclexonline.com/blog/who-can-donate-blood-to-whom/

I'm pretty sure they don't do directed blood donations at all.  We were not allowed to donate to our son with cancer despite the fact he was severely immunocompromised and he was AB - meaning he can get blood from any blood type.  He got more than 70 transfusions.  DH and I did donate blood, but it just goes into the general pool.   Also, most people who need blood it is an emergency situation and you get blood products (just the red cells, just the platelets, etc.) - it takes time to process the donation and separate out the parts, so in an emergency you wouldn't be a good source anyway. 

[10dollarsatatime]

I wanted to donate plasma when I was in my debt payoff stage.  There's a place just a 5 minute walk from my house.  But.  I have the tiniest of veins*.  I went in and requested they have a phlebotomist check my arm first to see if it was even worth filling out paperwork.  It wasn't. It would have been an extra $400/month, so while I wasn't surprised, I was disappointed.

*As in... I had a blood draw earlier this week and it was the first time EVER that they hit red on the first poke.  (When I was five, the nurse stabbed both arms and both thighs before she found one.  In my 20s, the nurse at my doctor's office couldn't do it and sent me to the hospital to have my blood drawn.)  This happened after I got the 3 available phlebotomists to decide amongst themselves the most likely to succeed, directed him to my left wrist because the veins in my arm are hard to find and they 'jump' when you do, asked him to use a child size needle, and used a heat pack to help make the vein more pronounced. 

[iGz]

I'm regular blood donor and in my state (EU) I always did it for free. I think there is an option to get paid for it, but never even ask about it.

Here you can donate to specific person (if your blood types are compatible) and even you get access to test results they did on your blood before it went to receiver.  They do battery of tests including tumor markers, HIV, hepatitis, syphilis and a lot more, then the blood will be separated for its essentials and will be transferred to those in need. And if there is something wrong with your test results they will notify you. At the end you will get 2eur cheque, free tea and some biscuit.
I will also never request money for my blood. Sometime, in the future, there could come situation when I (or someone dare to me) will need it and besides it those tests alone are quite expensive if you ask for them independently.