Suggestions please for future purchase

[CarolynM]

Howdy! I am seriously considering to purchase a monopod in the very near future and I am open for suggestions of what y'all recommend. My camera is a Canon Powershot A650IS, nothing like a big DSLR with long or heavy lens. Our household has 2 tripods, both from Dad's film photo hobby days, one is extremely HEAVY duty and I have used it only once (for a family photo). I can use either whenever I wish but it is much simpler to handhold my camera for the bus trips I take and backyard & neighborhood nature photos I've been shooting. I'm interested in a lightweight monopod that is easy for travel. In looking on the web, I've seen some that double as a hiking stick and others that have foldout legs to turn the monopod into a tripod when needed. I also ran across a Do It Yourself monopod instructions that I haven't tried yet. (1 screw, (I think 1/4 inch thick) is tied on one end of 60" in length string and a large washer is tied on the other end. Screw goes in the camera tripod socket and one steps on the washer that is on the ground, string is kept taut as one shoots photos. (Length of string between the screw and washer needs to equal person's eyeball height.) Has anyone actually used this method instead of a monopod??? Anyone have suggestions as to WHICH monopod(s) I need to consider before I decide? If you are a nature photographer, what do you use when you go to BBSP, BNC, Mercer, or any other nature area or state park?????
TIA
CarolynM