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Lorna Snuggs talks to Seany Gerrie (Seany decided to rent parts of her body, to help pay for her education).

Lorna Snuggs : How did you come up with the idea of renting your body parts out to pay for your education.

Seany Gerrie : It all started when I was bored browsing the internet and I stumbled across SaveKaryn.com, basically a woman in the states who ran up a huge credit card debt through shopping, she thought she'd make a low budget website asking people to give donations, and it was a massive hit and it worked. so that put the idea in my head, however I wanted to go one step further and give something in return, as well as making it a bit humorous. I'd also bought an acre of the moon for my girlfriend for our first anniversary, and I mashed the 2 ideas together and I thought, ahh I'll rent parts of my body, so that how the idea was born.

Lorna Snuggs : What sort of reaction did you get when you told people your plans (ie. your family, girlfriend)?

Seany Gerrie : Everyone was really supportive, they found it funny, my parents ring and want updates regularly. My girlfriend thought it was amusing and just left me to it, she's used to me being a tad quirky and weird.

Lorna Snuggs : How did you decide what the body parts should be worth?

Seany Gerrie : I basically just sat and set a range or reasonable prices, ranging from £1-£20ish, I set them low to encourage interest, however in future I may increase them depending on demand and supply etc, oh an inflation, I'll have to take that into account. :)

Lorna Snuggs : Who has been renting your body parts - friends, strangers, family members and what reasons do they give for wanting to own certain parts of you.

Seany Gerrie : All strangers, and most just think its a great idea and want to support me.

Lorna Snuggs : Has one body part proved to be more popular than the others (and if so is there a waiting list)?

Seany Gerrie : Oh yeah, my bums the most popular, yeah there is sort of a waiting list, basically if its already taken you can reserve it and then when the current owners lease is up so to speak, they get it. 3 people have rented my ass so far.

Lorna Snuggs : How much do you need to make in total and how much have you made so far?

Seany Gerrie : I've made around £200, but with expenses off, e.g. hosting of site etc, around £150 profit. There isn't really a target as such, as all students I haven't my student loan which is notorious for following you around until your 30, so if I could save up enough to pay that off, then thats great, and I have overdrafts just to get by, so basically all donations just help me get by and get through uni.

Lorna Snuggs : Your website has garnered alot of media attention, did you expect this when you first started and how do you feel about it?

Seany Gerrie : I didn't expect all the attention at all, its amazing, I was touched and shocked. The media frenzy has been way cool though, it's been a lot of fun. I made front page in Norway, prime time in Russia, Australian paper, local news, radio and newspapers and loads of web sites world-wide, oh also the daily mirror, the Times higher education supplement, I cant keep up with it all, its great.

Lorna Snuggs : Has your university had anything to say about it - good or bad?

Seany Gerrie : The uni hasn't said anything. A lecturer of mine saw me on the local news and wanted my address, he seemed impressed.

Lorna Snuggs : Do you think your website is helping to bring the plight of students who have trouble funding themselves through Uni back into the spotlight?

Seany Gerrie : Id like to think so and I hope so. If I can give inspiration or help others directly or indirectly, then thats great.

Lorna Snuggs : What is your opinion on the introduction of tuition fees? Do you think there are any solutions to the problem - other than selling body parts?

Seany Gerrie : I think tuition fees are wrong, the current government policies regarding uni's and education are bad in my opinion, its making it harder for people to go to university and prevent many from being able to go to uni or continue on at uni. The government should be encouraging people to go, but they seem too obsessed with profit and money, there always finding ways to get more money of the public, but its like a bottomless bucket, they seem to be real bad at managing the money. I think a big solution to the problem would be to stop tuition fees, and manage the money better, uni's survived in the past without tuition fees, afterall the Government is meant to manage the country, there the management, and so far their management sucks. All the bureaucracy is crap as well, they need to get rid of all thje red tape, 'simplicity' and 'management' should be the new Government keywords.

Ukstudentnews.co.uk, would like to thank Seany Gerrie for this interview.