Trying to reduce the use of SRAM

Projects Programming
13

Here is the code I am using to check memory use of the "lean" library:

#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidTWI2.h>

// Connect via i2c, default address #0 (A0-A2 not jumpered)
LiquidTWI2 lcd(0);
int freeRam () {
  extern int __heap_start, *__brkval; 
  int v; 
  return (int) &v - (__brkval == 0 ? (int) &__heap_start : (int) __brkval); 
}
void setup() {
    
  Serial.begin(57600);
    Serial.println(F("\n[memCheck]"));
    Serial.println(freeRam());
  // set the LCD type
  lcd.setMCPType(LTI_TYPE_MCP23008); 
//  lcd.setMCPType(LTI_TYPE_MCP23017); 
  // set up the LCD's number of rows and columns:
  lcd.begin(16, 2);
  // Print a message to the LCD.
  lcd.print(F("hello, world!"));
Serial.println(F("hello"));

}

void loop() {
  // set the cursor to column 0, line 1
  // (note: line 1 is the second row, since counting begins with 0):
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
  // print the number of seconds since reset:
  lcd.print(millis()/1000);

  lcd.setBacklight(HIGH);
  delay(500);
  lcd.setBacklight(LOW);
  delay(500);
}

and here is the result in serial monitor:

[memCheck]
1607

Am I going about this the right way?