General "Where to start" question for MTTs

[graarrg]

I'm somewhat sick of the cash grind so I am pretty much trying to figure out how to go about playing MTTs seriously. Just to give a general idea of my skill level, I am a pretty solid winner at .5/1NLHE 6max (~8PTBB/100). (other poker experience is moderate winning at SS LHE and crushing of PLO8100).

I am not totally inexperienced with MTTs. I have read all three Harrington on Hold'em books. I've won quite a few small buy-in tournaments ($5-$30). I've only played in a handful of tournaments over $100 (my biggest cash being 25th in the FTOPS #4 6max event, for $2500).

Because of neteller and general online poker uncertainty, I have restricted my bankroll to $10000.

My question then is, what should a player roughly of my skill level start playing at? Every time I play MTTs I get too conservative and avoid playing above $25 buy-ins, but I feel that I can do better.

(also, in the switch, I am trying not to fall below $50/hr which is my break-even point for "poker as life").

Thanks in advance for the help!