Cashing In On Seattle Snow: How Teen Earned $35K In 4 Days After Record Snowfall

An Idaho teenager earned $35,000 in four days by plowing Seattle streets during the city's record snowfall.

David Holston, 18, of Coeur d'Alene, was visiting his mother, who was recovering from a recent surgery, when he received a tip from a friend: he could earn some cash from plowing snow for city residents.

"I was in the hospital when my friend Steve called me and gave me the idea of bringing my plow truck to Seattle," Holston, who works as a landscaper in Idaho, said in an interview with CNN.

The Pacific Northwest has seen record-breaking snowfall this winter, with Seattle receiving the heaviest snow in February in 70 years.

Upon his friend's advice, Holston posted an ad on Craigslist for his plowing services. After receiving a $1,000 bid for a job, the teenager retrieved his snowplow from home and began to set up business after celebrating a previously planned birthday party for his mother as she recuperated.

Holston found himself swarmed with offers from locals to plow their property, describing how he had "jobs lined up until midnight."

"All during that time, I was answering my phone and adding new customers to my snow route for Monday," said Holston.

Over the course of four days, Holston received calls to 15 sites, each costing customers a rate of $500 to $750 an hour.

Holston told CNN that he plans to donate 20 percent of his profits to his local church in Idaho, and intends to use the rest for purchasing lawn equipment and for savings towards a down payment on his first house.

News of Holston's earnings comes during a snowy week for the nation with snowstorm Petra bringing closures and delays in many cities.