Originally Posted by After Shock Media

I do not float my own sites in my sig. If my affiliates dropped off the map today or even a year ago I would be out 4.9% of my sales, now that is a fact. Technically it is rounded up to 4.9 as well.

One FACT to remember is not to make assumptions.

I personally do like affiliates that work. I help affiliates and I am also an affiliate for many sites. Wish the world and this business was as black and white as many wish it to be, yet it is not. Nor am I a minority in using the business plan of running your own pay sites and being your own largest affiliate. With the right sites and the right niches/micro niches, affiliates just cost you more than they ever could earn you in the long term due to competition.