Again, there are important non-economic reasons for voting for independence. But for the Yes campaign to promise that an independent Scotland will have free higher education and subsidized daycare in 10-15 years is pure fantasy. If Scotland can vote to leave the UK, Scots can also vote with their feet.
I think you are forgetting the brand value of becoming independent. Scotland has had remarkable growth rates in recent years in sectors like farmed salmonds, whisky, tweed and tourism with the Asian markets driving this. Independence will increase their brand value even further. While this may sound like small fry, it isn't (I can look up the numbers, if you like). Also the SNP plans to reinvest the oil profit in reindustialization of the country will have a positive effect, they have a strong tradition in craftsmanship and practical application of technology - renewable energy is an interesting area here. As the Danish windmill industry has shown, government subsidizing of this area pays of for small countries.
The present finance and resource extraction driven economy is not ideal for the country and a different economic model with industry, fish farms and tourism playing a bigger role would benefit Scotland in the long run.
Scots can vote with their feet, but most people don't leave their home country over small differences in living standards and the country would also attract immigrants and capital from outside Britain (Asian and Scandinavian in particular) if British companies leave. Scotland is basically an attractive place to be with a lot going for it and independence would increase its already high brand value and global profile.
Regarding right wing populism, this is likely to be a phenomenon in every European country, but I fail to see why it should be more of a problem in an independent Scotland, than in the present UK.