Many people are feeling the squeeze in this economy. For that reason it's helpful to know what to do if you suddenly were faced with the loss of your job or online income. In this case there are many freelance work sites you can use to make sure the money keeps coming in during these trying times.

As a freelancer you can do a variety of tasks for companies from your home computer. Some of the most popular jobs include programming, search engine optimization, writing, design, translation, administrative support, lead generation, and data entry.

The best part of becoming a freelancer is the fact that you get to make your own hours and work from the comfort of your own home.  It is great for stay at home mothers, handicapped people, or people with busy schedules.  You work on your own time as long as you finish your projects in the time specific in the contract.

The key to successful freelancing is diversifying. By supplementing jobs from freelance work sites with other jobs for online of offline companies you can protect yourself during times of economic trouble.

While bidding on projects at first you may want to low ball to get enough reviews and recommendations to be trusted by potential employers. After you've become established on the site you can raise your prices. Be careful not to bid on just any project. Taking a few extra minutes to check the job posters feedback and ratings can give you valuable information about their credibility and disposition.

Here's some of the top freelance work sites you can use to find work right away:

Elance

Elance is an ebay type online service where employers can post jobs for freelancers, programmers, tech support, etc. There are many sites like this one where you can go to find work, although there is usually a monthly fee you must pay to get these desirable jobs. When accepting a job, if there is no provided contract, a freelancer should always create an informal contract describing the project, due date, fees, etc.

Freelancer

Previously known as Get A Freelancer, this website is one of the more popular choices. It features jobs for the freelance programmer, web designer, copywriter or translator.

iFreelance

To get started with iFreelance you can create a profile and advertise to potential buyers without paying a commission. The site charges a small monthly fee rather than a commission on the money you earn.

RentaCoder

Well know with the programming community, RentaCoder lets you bid on coding projects from around the globe. They charge a 7.5% to 15% fee on the profit from the money collected for services.

GoFreelance

With thousands of jobs in their database Gofreelance is a good place to find work at home jobs. They offer a free special freelance guide book with signup to help you get started. You can also get new job projects emailed to you daily.

ODesk

With Odesk there are no membership fees. You can fill out a profile, apply for jobs, and take skill tests from your account.They make their money when you charge an hourly rate by adding a small surcharge to your rate equal to 10% of what the buyer pays. This way you get paid what you are asking for.

Guru

Guru is one of the leading freelance work sites on the internet. With a patent pending ranking system and feedback management system you can grow your reputation. By creating a profile and building your authority it will be easier to get better paying jobs for technology, creative arts, or business tasks.

Scriptlance

At Scriptlance you can perform a wide variety of tasks and get paid via PayPal, Mastercard Debit Card, Moneybookers, bank wire, FedEx check, or even E-gold. There's no signup or monthly fees, you just pay 5% of your bid amount.

Bidhire

With Bidhire freelancers don't pay anything for services provided. You can bid on as many projects as you want without worrying about signup or account fees. You can withdraw funds from your protected escrow account upon payment for finished work.

Getacoder

This site bills itself as a place to find outsource jobs to your home country or to countries where labor is cheap. you can get paid as a programmer, freelance writer, or web designer.

In conclusion

It may seem difficult at first building up your profile in order to get the big ticket freelance clients. One of the ways you can speed up the process is by networking with someone else who's been successful (who's not your competition) and ask them how they did it. Many people will be glad to give you valuable tips and share their personal success stories.

Another place to find cool freelance photography techniques is at the Paid for Pictures website. There you'll find a variety of ways to make money from pictures using a simple digital camera. Leave your comments and feedback below to share your advice about working as a freelancer.