Firstly, you're are absolutely right in saying there is money to be made in affiliate marketing. But definitely don't believe any of these "fool-proof" systems. Affiliate marketing, like anything else, takes hard work and determination. But if you're willing to put in the effort, the rewards can be great.
You should start with a lot of the free learning material that's out there. I'd be wary of buying a course or something when you're just starting out... you've got to know the basics first! And the more you understand the underlying concepts of affiliate marketing, the better you'll be able to discern the good courses from the money wasters.
For starters, you might want to have a look at our site's free lessons section at:
http://www.affilorama.com/lessons
Registration's free and the training material is really simple to follow... it's specifically written for people who are new to the affiliate marketing game.
Also, you should try to subscribe to as many blogs about affiliate marketing as possible. If someone is offering an educational course for money, it may well be worth it, but I would subscribe to their blog for at least a few weeks to see if their material is actually useful, or if they're just trying to make a buck.
Most of what you need to learn to get started you can learn for free.
Best of luck to you. Remember that when you start, success won't happen over night and you will make some mistakes and losses, but keep at it, learn as much as you can, and you'll do great!!