Follow the steps to de-bloat a stock android phone
Find the phone based on your preferences, amazon warehouse deals or aliexpress refurbished have the best bang for the buck AFAIK.
The phone might require an unlock code from the manufacturer
Check in fastboot oem unlock if it requires a code
Consider if a OEM stock firmware has to be flashed from fastboot before flashing a custom ROM (check flashfile.xml)
Flash a recovery fastboot flash recovery twrp.bin
Boot into recovery flash rom
Flash microG through the unofficial setup script
Flash magisk
Magisk module uninstaller to remove modules causing bootloops from recovery
Maybe flash a custom kernel
Check microG self-test to see what needs to be configured (apk spoofing, unified nlp, etc)
Install (xposed/Riru-LSposed/) with magisk
Configure lucky patcher
Install markets: f-droid, aurora, aptoide
Replace apps: calendar->etar, messages->signal(session?), mail->deltachat(or nothing..), keyboard->(anysoftkb/florisboard), files->(mixplorer/materialfiles), browser->bromite/firefox, youtube->newpipe, camera->open camera, music->vynil/phonograph, workspaces->shelter
Battery apps: betterbatterystats, stop battery charging (should not be needed), greenify
