Nice article Richard. We've taken very similar routs, although there's been a lot more DIY in my journey. I started a few months after you but my first "store bought"
mod was a Chuck if you don't count the DSE-905 (and I don't), however, I built a couple of box mods and a copper pipe mod while I was waiting for the Chuck. I went to VV last December and considered a ProVari but price and availability steered me to the Buzz.
I also started mixing my own
juice about a month after I started
vaping which I think saved me a ton of money. The savings more than paid for a nice LED big screen and wireless network at my one year mark.

BTW, I'm one of those people who have given up the nic too. It took me a year and a half of weaning but I've been at zero nic since mid July.
Nice to read similar success stories.
Be well.