"It's called spending less than you make, and that is important at any income level, in any decade." While I agree with the rest of your comment, the inclusion

"It's called spending less than you make, and that is important at any income level, in any decade." While I agree with the rest of your comment, the inclusion of this bit bothers me. I agree with the text of it, but the pragmatic role it seems to be serving - in response to "it was easier before" - is to proclaim that it is comparably possible "at any income level, in any decade", which is manifestly false.