Grabbing Freelancing projects.

Lower rate to get first clients, then increase over time when you get more positive reviews.

How do you view yourself? What's "a lot of money" to you?

If $1000 is a lot of money then you won't bid high, will you.

If you want to do well, apply this method. But your skill level and money tolerance have to match.

Honestly, if you're still starting out, it's going to be hard getting clients who'll pay you big bucks for your work. We employers prefer to go with the more experienced ones, and with good reason. So don't think about the pay during the first few jobs if you're set on freelancing. Stay humble, work hard, build up a (hopefully positive) reputation with your clients. Like affmarketer said: increase your rates as time goes by and as you increase the good reviews you get.

Make sure your work and your ethic is worth more than the low rates you're starting with. I mean it. You're competing with others who have varying rates. Plenty of times I've hired freelancers from "cheap" countries like the Philippines and I got way more than what I paid for.