Making Cold Cash Out Of Snow Business

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some people are turning all this snow into cold hard cash.

CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports from Romeoville where there's a profit to be made as the snow piles up.

Those facing covered driveways and covered sidewalks probably look at all this snow as more work.

But for some, it's a blessing.

"Snow like this is more money," says Larry Serrano who works for Acres Snow and Landscaping Company.

His job, among the crew members, is clearing driveways and sidewalks at the Grand Haven subdivision in Romeoville.

"On a typical day when there's normal snow, we make around $20.00 an hour. Today?  I'm making $23.00 or $24.00 because of the heavy snow," says Serrano.

The higher snowfall also means more money for the company.

"This storm will be worth 30 to 40 percent more for us," says Steven Anderson of Acres Snow and Landscaping.

Acres has hundreds of clients across Chicagoland.

Those that pay by the snowfall are the ones shoving out big bucks today.

"With the eight inches that we're getting today, that's easily $200.00 to $300.00 more," says Anderson.

Homeowners also contribute to the snow economy.

Sergio Fernandez had to run out and buy salt at "5.00, $6.00 a bag."

Buikema's Ace Hardware has seen a steady stream of last minute shoppers who have depleted supplies.

"We had over a hundred shovels. Now we now have three. We had 35 snowblowers. Those are gone," says a hardware store employee.

If she had to estimate how much was made with the snow supplies?

"I'd guess a few thousand," she says.

Here's the not so good news: some hardware store managers tell me they don't expect another shipment of snow supplies for at least another week.