at home i usually just practise unamplified with my electrics (guitar or bass)
when i play amplified at home i usually just plug through everything (even though i rarely use it all)
out with friends or so on, with my band i was only using guitar -> amp, or guitar -> dirt -> amp (depending on if i had my amp or was using something else)
i dont use much effects really, other than dirt, i have a wah and tremolo and stuff, but i only really use those at home
David