Well to do something that is against what everyone else is doing you are always going to be met with resistance. I'm glad it worked out for you and that you are debt-free, it's now one of the most important times to hold less debt or none with strong indications of a correction coming.

Those people were sold a dream that won't materialise for everyone. It's not really about your job or your salary but how effectively you manage it, the rest is just trimmings