I use the whole shooting match. I have the map marked up, the stopwatch hanging off the yoke, the ADF and VOR's tuned in, a SkyDemon plog and the GPS on. The stuff is there to use so use it, the most you have to do is reach over and tune in and get an ident, it's not rocket science. Having said that I can get back home purely visually now up to about a 50 mile radius from the airfield, which is handy if all of my electrics go pop, the GPS gets jammed, the E2 explodes and the map blows out of the window.
I had my first flight exactly a year ago and I remember getting lost in the circuit once....totally lost the runway. I'm off to Breighton on Saturday and could probably get there blindfolded now. Amazing what a year does.