I use my IMC rating to extend the use of my Bonanza. I regularly climb through cloud and do approaches (not to very low minimums in most cases) to airfields and have done a variety of approaches including one I had never practised into Inverness on a pretty low cloud base day (DME Arc).
I think it is essential if you are going to fly any amount of IMC to have a properly equipped autopilot and I would not fly IMC without one. The Bonanza has an autopilot that will fly in heading, Nav and approach mode. I like to fly IMC with the autopilot turned on because it does the work for you and you can monitor everything properly but I do occasionally fly without to keep my hand in.
I would love to do an IR but the time it would take stops me.