The energy-saving behavior of households has a huge and obvious role in the development of the economy and society. However, the theoretical approaches of economists on this topic are developing more slowly than its applied aspects. The aim of this work is to consider the energy-saving behavior of households from the angle of the main directions of economic theory. The research methodology is based on the principles of the implementation of areas of economic theory, as well as on the use of total energy, consisting of electric, thermal, solar, mechanical and other types of energy. The article proposes a classification of factors (main and secondary, main and auxiliary) that affect household behavior in the field of energy conservation and which should be taken into account when drawing up its mono and polyparametric mathematical models. Moreover, each variable can be positively or negatively reflected in the rational or irrational behavior of households in energy conservation. The paper gives the results of the consideration of problems in shaping the behavior of households from the point of view of the neoclassical direction of economic theory and institutionalism, as well as on the basis of its moral-educational and technological concepts. The current state of introducing the development of energy-saving and nature-friendly technologies into the everyday activities of households will transform the behavior of households in the field of consumption of any type of energy.