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Normally when I travel into London (off peak/weekends) it is to/from Egham and I get a one day travelcard to include for tube. I maybe travelling one weekend into London from Guildford but going back same day to Egham. What tickets options are there?

I was thinking a travelcard from Guildford and then back out of Waterloo to egham and potentially pay for the non zone 6 part from Feltham to Egham?

Also I have occasionally looked at the cost of oyster card travel off peak and the rail fare only to waterloo v the one day travelcard. Assuming 2 x zone 1 tube journeys, the cost of the travelcard always seems cheaper and simpler. Is this right?

I reckon that with a normal 'outboundary' travelcard on your return journey to Guildford from Feltham, you can just get out at Egham.

Your Guildford Travelcard allows for a return journey to and from any station on the zone 6 boundary for which a permitted route exists that doesn't need to enter and re-enter the zones.  In other words you are not actually required to take a specific route to Waterloo e.g. via Surbiton, or via Effingham Junction etc.

So assume your initial destination is Feltham (for convenience sake), you'd clearly be OK to go Guildford > Woking > Weybridge > Virginia Water > Egham > Feltham.  The reverse is also valid, you'd be just breaking your journey at Egham.

Hope this helps.

Regarding your second question, I believe that at 'Oysterisation on NR' a few years ago they introduced zonally calculated fares for all journeys entirely within the London zones area and it became true that an off-peak travelcard was usually cheaper than two paper singles, as you'll have found there are no longer off-peak  singles or returns available within the zones.  On the NRES planner if checking a journey within zones 1-6 it should default to paper ticket prices but warn you if cheaper Oyster only fares may be available.

Paul