In my early days of film I used to put UV filters on my lenses for protection. However I found that I was constantly swapping them out for my polariser, which was inconvenient in the field. Extra handling of filters near the front element also increases the risk of putting your finger on the lens or filter, or dropping the filter in the process - have done that many times. I'm sure the extra air-glass surfaces don't help with flare, contrast and sharpness either. So I stopped using UV or clear filters except when extra protection against dust or salt spray was needed, and even then I was often using a polariser anyway.
I never got in the habit of using hoods as I found them inconvenient, they take up too much space in my camera bag and I like keeping my kit nice and compact. Like clear filters they also make using polarisers difficult, you have to take the hood off to put the polariser on and off which slowed me down and increased the risk of stray fingers and fumbles. If I noticed the lens was flaring, I would use my hand to shade the front element, or move into the shade, or change the angle of view so the flare went away.
In the digital age I use polarisers much less, they seem to make less of a difference than they did on film (chromes), and often seem to cause a loss of contrast. So now I have started using hoods more often, I have a couple which are relatively small while providing a useful amount of protection. Sometimes I simply put an empty filter ring (no glass) on the lens. It keeps the unit nice and compact, the lens cap still fits, and those few extra mm do make a useful difference in keeping fingers away from the front element. Most modern lenses have plastic filter threads, so an empty metal filter ring also helps to protect the front rim from knocks. With no glass the filter ring is easier to handle - no risk of putting fingerprints on it, so it is easier to swap out if I do need a polariser.