Broke Americans selling hair and breast milk online
WASHINGTON - Hair, breast milk and human eggs are doubling as ATMs for some cash-strapped Americans such as Ms April Hare.
Out of work for more than two years and facing eviction from her home, Ms Hare recalled Louisa May Alcott's 19th-century novel and took to her computer.
"I was just trying to find ways to make money, and I remembered Jo from Little Women, and she sold her hair," the 35-year-old said.
"I've always had a lot of hair, but this is the first time I've actually had the idea to sell it because I'm in a really tight jam right now."
The mother of two posted pictures of her 45cm auburn mane on
www.buyandsellhair.com, asking at least US$1,000 and receiving responses within hours.
The slow pace of economic recovery, exacerbated by higher taxes and across-the-board federal spending cuts this year, has soured attitudes among US households.
Some 54 per cent of Americans say their incomes have "hardly recovered at all" from the recession, according to a September survey by the Pew Research Centre.
Median household income, which includes wages and investments, has fallen every year for the past five years after adjusting for inflation, according to data from the Commerce Department, with Americans earning less than they did in 1996.
Such figures help explain why some Americans are seeking unorthodox ways to supplement their incomes.
In all but two quarters since the beginning of 2011, "hair", "egg", or "kidney" have been among the top four autofill results for the Google search query, "I want to sell my...," according to Mr Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group, which provides brokerage and trading-related services for institutional investors.
The Internet is probably responsible for much of the increased interest in cashing in on body parts, said University of Chicago economics professor Gary Becker. Online search engines and exchanges make communications between "buyers and sellers of things like organs or hair much easier". he said.
While Americans can legally sell hair, breast milk and eggs, the sale and purchase of a kidney in the US is against the law.
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