I should have mentioned that the best way to see how it all works is to sign up for an affiliate account. One of the easiest ones to get is Offersquest. That way, you can check out some of the options available to you. You never need a credit card to sign up, but some sites will ask for your SSN for 1099 purposes. If you have a question as to whether a site is legitimate, just ask and I'll let you know if I know anything about them.

Here is a link to check out Offersquest. Be advised that I am using my affiliate link, which means I do get paid when you sign up and then use your account. (Just want to make sure you know that.)
www.offersquest.com/r.php?a=CD1755