My target is $75 (quintupling my stake); when / if I reach it, I'll move up to nickel-dime. More success, I'll go to quarter-half, etc.

I certainly don't do this for the money... it is the challenge of "the game". I would take great pride in a year or two taking a $15 buy-in to where I'm comfortably and competently playing in the dollar games. But even Hall-of-Famers started out in the Florida Rookie League.
You will be there sooner than you know.