Google analytics - tracking affiliate links - How?

Hello,
I've done this in the past with ease, and have read ALL of the Google guildlines, etc, but can't get it to work now.

I want to track how many clicks my affiliate (i.e. outbound) links get - how do you do it?

Please don't just copy and paste or link to Google's explanation, I've tried it all and it won't work.

They've changed the system and I can't work it out.

Please? Anyone?

Do you work with Google Tag Manager? You can add Outbound Link Tracking easily with it. Just google "outbound link tracking AND Google Tag Manager".

I've tried it all mate, some of it might as well be written in Chinese.

It used to be easy - copy a code, stick it round your link, hey presto.

Now - create a container, set a trigger, set a variable (none of which are obvious what they do), download code, fuck about with it, fuck about some more, load up some other script in the header, another just before the body, etc, etc, etc.

There's about 5 different explanations from Gogle of how to do it and I can't get any of the fuckers to work.