Freelancing in website development

Hey, guys. I'm a programmer who uses mostly c++. However, I have done a study of the web design programs such as PhP and Javascript. Even dabbled in SQL. Not an expert in it, but I get the concepts and will mainly just need to review it until I have the common stuff in my head. I looked over several freelancing sites. I'm a bit overwhelmed, of course, of what they ask. Though talking with a friend, he says it's not as hard as it looks. A lot of people ask for plugins, web designs, and adding ecommerces.

As a programmer, how hard is any of this stuff is and how does the freelance process usually work?

>11
You find old fucks who have lots of business and a shitty website.  Google your city for lucrative businesses (weddings are a good market, for example), look at their site, give them a call.  Don't email, as most of the old fucks don't know how to or don't put an importance on it. 

Most of these people don't know dick about the Internet.  THat previous client I was talking about in >10 paid me $50 just to remove taskbars from IE7 and change their nameservers. 

OP, from this day forth, you work for $25/hr as a freelance web developer who is a capable of setting up a simple 5-page business-card style website for a flat fee of $500 and two weeks of support after the project is complete.  You can charge more if you're doing more (just itemize each thing).  Remember, the idiot clients that don't know shit just want to write a check and see results.  Market yourself like that.

Just remember, this shit ain't real programming.  I've seen college grads with a dangerous combination of an overinflated ego and ambition crash and burn after they've overextended themselves to taking on difficult jobs.