10 money stories that will lift your spirits

Tax, spending cuts, rip-offs, fraud, scams, debt, economic crisis ... the financial world can be a thoroughly miserable place sometimes. Occasionally, however, we hear about something entirely different: a money news story that lifts our spirits, restores our faith in people, and offers us a bit of hope for the future. It's worth taking the time to recognise these shafts of light through the economic gloom.

We have brought together ten uplifting tales from the money pages.

They include stories of incredible good luck that have transformed people's lives - including the couple who stumbled across a fortune in their back garden.
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They also include brilliant stories of strangers uniting to help someone who has been through a difficult time. These crowdfunding tales are enough to restore anyone's belief in the fundamental decency of human beings, not just because of the thousands of people who donate thousands of pounds, but because there is someone who cares enough to take the time to set up the campaign and try to make a difference to someone else's life.

And they include business decisions that will cost leaders thousands of pounds, but they have taken these steps because it's the right thing for their employees - including the man who did something truly amazing to his staff's pay packets.

Each one of these ten stories goes to show that financial matters aren't just bad people doing bad things to good people: there is plenty of good out there too - we just need to look hard enough to find it.

Read more good news on AOL Money

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