You're right though, I am just starting off, and already feel a bit guilty asking for anything north of $5k.
- avoid the arseholes: at 1cent to 50bucks any idiot will spring for the idea and make your life miserable. At 2345, you should be out if their price.
- to fund your own tenure. We work at 19 bucks an hour because the employer just needs our body at a certain location. Not our brain or our lifelong learning. But you need to use those things. Fund them.
Plus (again if US) you'll pay more taxes if self-employed.
If you lived near me, I'd seriously consider hiring you. And you'd get to play in python with lasers and robots (sometimes). And have a guaranteed revenue stream.