I've been moderately successful on RentACoder but at times it's been a bit of a slog. I started in November last year, and have been earning more and more with

I've been moderately successful on RentACoder but at times it's been a bit of a slog. I started in November last year, and have been earning more and more with every month. Everybody says this and it's true: to get started you have to make a couple of bids at sweatshop rates in order to build reputation. I found explaining this reason as part of my initial bids to be a successful strategy. Your first week (or longer!) you'll earn a lot of nothing. Once you've gone through this probation period, though, you'll start earning decently. From what I can tell, there are plenty of users who reply to a bid with "yes, I can do this, I have done lots of projects like this, CHOOSE ME!" So, instead, read each request fully, and ask lots of questions. I've found that asking questions first and only entering a bid amount after receiving answers to my initial questions to also be a winning method. Despite plenty of articles to the contrary, it is more than possible to earn a decent living through sites like this. By decent living I mean $5-$6k/month, your mileage may vary. To do so, you have to have the balls to bid high - with justifications - and accept that you're not going to win very many bids, but that the ones you do win will more than make up for it. Finally - and I've again read plenty of articles that contradict this - if you're competent and do a decent job, you will get repeat work. This has happened to me several times, and for the last few months I've been turning work away.