Advice for someone using an android with Google devices preinstalled?

I've recently switched to android and i rely on the features and openness of android too much now to go back to Apple. However, i have been on a privacy journey lately and been installing fdroid and disabling as many Google apps as is feasibly possible and replacing stock apps with FOSS alternatives, and hardening my browsers, etc

But i have a concern, after all this work and learning are all of my efforts null because of Google play services? …

advice android devices google privacy