How to Make Money In the Arctic

"The People of the Land Beyond the Land Beyond"

The Winter Olympics are upon us, giving us a perfect opportunity to point out something unique about Canada.  I never knew this before and I think there's a significant reason for that, but more on that later.

Alert, Nunavut in Canada is the northernmost settlement with permanent inhabitants in the world.  It's gently nestled within the arctic circle on Ellesmere island next to Greenland.  Despite being very cold and covered in snow 10 months of the year, the climate is actually quite dry, averaging only 6 inches of total precipitation per year.  There are 5 months of total sunlight and 5 months of total darkness.  The only time the temperature is above freezing is during their 2 month summer season when it reaches all the way into the upper 30s.  Downright balmy.  The place is so charming that two of the most significant events in its history were catastrophic plane crashes.

This is definitely not one of the most inhabitable places in the world, but yet, at last count, up to 5 people may actually permanently reside in Alert.  There are many temporary inhabitants of the frigid hamlet due to the presence of the Canadian Forces Station Alert facility, a weather station, and an airport, which is presumably the only way to get there.  Unless you ride a moose by the light of the aurora.  Why, then, does anyone choose to live there?  To man the weather station?  I don't think you need a permanent weather station to know that it's going to be yet another cold, dark day (unless of course it's the half of the year with total, relentless, blinding sunlight).  Something just doesn't quite add up.  Which brings me to my earlier suspicion of why I never heard of this place before.  My guess is that the residents have discovered, through sophisticated weather monitoring (and with a little help from Al Gore), that the ice caps are going to melt sometime within their lifetimes, transforming the icy outpost of Alert into a pleasant, tropical paradise.  They're just claiming their beachfront property now.  Luckily, we here at howtomakeadollar have discovered their secret and are sharing it with you, dear loyal reader, so you can be one of the few, lucky opportunists to claim a tract of land in one of the remotest parts of the earth that will eventually be worth millions.  That is, of course, assuming that you can stand to live among muskoxen, caribou, and Canadians, and are resilient to frostbite, depression, and insomnia (24 hour sunlight can be excruciating).  On the plus side, I bet baby seal tastes pretty good.  And it'll all be worth it in the end.  There may be easier ways to make money than this, but I doubt it.

Make money from the Blizzard of 2010

According to the news we are now in the middle of the Blizzard of 2010!

Now that it has officially been named the Blizzard of 2010... it's time to make money off of it.

Step by step business plan:
1) Put on your cross country skis and go to the nearest Walmart (don't worry, they're always open)
2) Buy lots of t-shirts, hats, and mugs
3) Buy a permanent marker
4) Write "I survived the Blizzard of 2010!" on all your newly purchased merchandise
5) Sell above mentioned merchandise on ebay

Business Risks: If someone buys your shirt, but then dies before the blizzard is over, their family may try to get the money back. I'm not sure how to handle this.

Optional: buy your own printing press or screenpress your own t-shirts to mass produce quickly

For other ways to make money from snow... click here.

If anyone wants a t-shirt, email us and we'll send you one in the mail.


Howtomakeadollar does not imply that the purchaser of these shirts will actually, in fact, survive the blizzard of 2010.

Make money cleaning snow off of cars

Business Idea: Get snow off of peoples cars.

Business Description: No one (at least that I know of) likes to go out in the freezing weather and clean off snow from their car.  Especially when you are dressed up for work to give your presentation to the CEO and are already running late.   Although you wouldn't be late if you followed our how to get promoted blog.  With this business, you can make money cleaning off other peoples cars when it snows.

Business Resources: Big truck full of hot water, ShamWow

Step-by-Step Business Plan:
1. Wait for snow
2. Fill up your water truck with hot water (if you don't have a water truck and/or can't find one to get for free on craigslist you can use a large bucket full of hot water)
3. Go to apartment or townhouse complex. 
4. Pour hot water all over the cars to melt the snow and ice
5. Get out ShamWow
6. Dry car with ShamWow
7. Place bill under windshield wiper (everyone loves to get things placed under their windshield wipers)
8. Alternatively, you could work out a deal with the HOA and just have them pay you.  This will probably mitigate the risk of not getting paid.

Feasibility Quotient: 97

Business Risks: Global Warming

Business Competitors: Crazy lady who goes outside with a broom and wipes off her car every 30 minutes

Sell Snow

With global warming coming upon us so fast... we need to enjoy the MASSIVE amounts of snow we are getting these days.  According to Al Gore, all snow and ice in the entire world is going to be gone in the next 4 to 6 years!  So, for the next 4 to 6 years, collect snow.  Put it into a freezer in a fancy container with the date on it.  Then in 50 years from now when no one even knows what snow is; sell it!  All you need is to live in a place that gets snow, a container, a pair of gloves and have a big freezer.