And what makes it all more complicated.. I could copy your site and your sponsors and probably have completely diff results because my traf srcs, my jargon, my feel, my other sponsors used, ect ect.
Starting as a noob affil today is like going to trade school for 2 years to eventually, (not right away) work at a Micky D's salary. And if you don't have any money to lose (to invest) make that 4 years.
The only guys around now days are guys who have walked deep into the woods and it is way too late to go back or cross over now.
Margins are extremely thin all round. You can't escape that. It is very hard in the trenches and really almost impossible except for old vets who have tried 100 things over many years and NOW have maybe 6 that work and make a small profit.
Would I enter the woods 15 years ago if I knew my fate? (at first I wrote no) but Yes. Only because being my own boss is the most important thing to me.
But if it is not the most important thing in life to you I'd say go unload a truck. Plus you'll stay in shape without exercise. Which the older me now sees as worth something ($$$) too.
You'll make more in a day than you will in a week as an affil noob in this biz. And that is after you put the years in for free (or shorter if you want to throw some money at your education) to try 100 things.