I read this tip in my money-savers email newsletter and thought you'd like it (don't worry- I have permission to reprint it):

Make It Lean
I like very lean ground beef, but higher fat ground beef at
less than $1 a pound is better for my budget. Of course, I
follow the trick that I have learned of cooking the meat and
then rinsing it with hot water. I got to thinking of the
nutrients that may be lost by this method and started putting
the rinsing liquid into a glass container and refrigerating it
overnight. The next day the solid sheet of fat lifts off
easily and I am left with tasty beef broth, which makes a
great base for soup.
Sharon in Houston, TX