My Future Budget

My dream career would be as a high-paid journalist for a respectable newspaper or publication such as the Wall Street Journal or National Geographic Magazine. According to the Glassdoor.com, the average Wall Street Journal reporter makes about $80,000 a year.

• The total of my future expenses each year are $75,600.  I know this is logical because my primary sources for information are my mom, Craig's List, and Glassdoor.com. I feel like this sum is very high, but most of it is because I said I would have to pay $3,000 a month in rent an apartment in a big city like San Francisco. I also gave myself a high salary, so taxes were a lot higher than some other jobs. 
• My education/training to get a job as a journalist will cost $120,000 for an undergraduate degree from a state university. This is without any graduate education. I wrote that I would pay $200 a month in paying off student loans. I really hope to get some scholarships to go to school that could alleviate this cost.
• I want to save $2,000 for my rainy day fund each year, and $2,000 for retirement each year.  If I save $2,000 for retirement each year, by the time I am 65 years old I will have $80,000 plus interest. I know that's not a lot but I plan to invest my money wisely and hope the amount to the maximum possible. I would also like to write books to supplement my annual income. This additional income will go to directly to my retirement fund.
• Comparing my future income and expenses makes me want to rethink my job choice as a journalist, "the number one dying profession" my mom tells me. I love to write, but I also love many other things and would be open to pursuing other careers such as in international relations. I also realize that it is rough to be a single-income family, which makes me envision a partner in my future that I can share the load of building a life with.