I think the rudder is like deodorant in a way. Everyone says how important it is but few of those people actually use it.
Are you sure you are from GA and not Europe???
It smells like most people use it here anyway.
As far as rudders. I didn't use it at all at first, only to take off. Then after I began experimeniting with it, I couldn't live without it. Its like a another dimension to your flight capabilities.