Underemployed turn to plowing for cash

KENT COUNTY, Mich. (WOOD) - In this economy, people are looking for ways to make extra money, especially during the holidays. In West Michigan, some laid off workers are becoming snow plow drivers; trying to make ends meet.

It's seasonal work, but it pays the bills. Don Roelofs, like many others this time of year, is plowing driveways and parking lots to make money. But in this economy, it's not just extra income.

"Right now, it's survival," Roelofs said.

He worked at Steelcase for 26 years. His current-day job is remodeling homes, but that business is more than just slow.

"Right now, it's dead. People don't want their houses torn up for the holidays," he said.

Roelofs has been plowing for the past four winters. This year, taking a new approach to drum up even more business, Roelofs placed an ad on Craigslist. And he says it's already paying off.

"Within a half hour [of posting the ad], my phone started ringing," he said.

And he is not the only one trying to make green out of the winter white stuff. 24 Hour News 8 found ads on Craigslist for people willing to plow, snow blow and shovel just about any surface.

Roelofs charges about $20 for an individual plow and around $200 for a seasonal contract, depending on the size of the driveway. He said favorable gas prices help this year compared to last, when he actually lost money on many contracts.

But when it comes down to it, in the plow business, you're pretty much at the mercy of Mother Nature. So when it equates to counting cash, Roelofs says let it snow.

"It's a good fit for me right now," he added. "And I have the truck and I've got to use it."

Grand Rapids requires a snow plower to have a license if they operate in the city. There is a list of licensed snow plowers on the city's Web site.