I am glad you saw that I was stumped on trying to pin down the real issue of the "discussion" ..... rather reflects the core issue of not only web building, but also the essential elements of Affiliate Marketing.

You are right to doubt that you can experience a significantly easy shift of revenue to online marketing on a timely basis (unless you have pre-structured a promotional or distribution network that can be laterally inserted with a new program) that would make replacing an income less than trepidacous! The real key to building success in Affiliate Marketing it to create a natural niche, desire, or renown that compels sales, and this is one of the more elusive arenas for people to get out of their own head (and unrealistic expectations, or illusions of granduer) to make a good go of it: it is always better to invest in good thinking/planning so you are a big frog in a small pond rather than a small frog in a big pond.

Before you spend too much time planning something elaborate or setting yourself up for disappointment, why don't you get your feet wet and explore the nuances of how it all works and how you feel working it: you have a few sites, right? Why don't you consider offering a very few "opportunities" for your visitors to compliment their experience with you by creating a single page to present these affiliate "partners" in a "Marketplace" or "Sggested Resources" area? If you are promoting meditation, for example, you may select one or two vendors that offer incense (aroma therapy), music, pillows or mats (to sit onor otherwise), etc. that you find listed in one of the better Affiliate Marketing Networks like Commission Junction or LinkShare?? This way you can "test" everything from how to place banners and links to the kinds of products or services available that truly mesh with your already formatted business plan.....

This accomplishes a couple of things off the bat for you:
1. You become familiar with how Affiliate Marketing Networks operate
2. You learn how to create pages around the available resources
3. You are inspired to select vendors that would compliment your sites and overall offering
4. You can understand how by adding content to actually describe the products or services these vendors offer on your site will add to your relevancy and search metrics
5. Your clients will see your site as more of a resource, and will have a greater foundation upon which to build their "loyalty"
6. You can actually sell something and earn a few bucks. This will also teach you the pratice of retiring under-performing vendors for better fits.

Affiliate Marketing is nothing more than the Good Old Boy Networking with technology applied: everyone wants to do business with the leaders, and the more you associate with them, the better off they all become.
It is not a get-rich-quick circus, but big ideas pay off big too --- it depends on your vision and how you understand that vision.

Well....that is just a suggestion I believe would pay off for most when first getting into Affiliate Marketing: add a simple page, and go from there.
KEY> Don't stoop low to participate just because someone else has. Keep your standards high and your results will reflect your standards. Despite Paul's experience, Clickbank has a reputation for playing games with your money. Commission Junction and Linkshare (and even Shareasale) are the most reputable networks.

(Trust me. Between the 2 of them I get over $1500 a month without having to bat an eye!)