Anthony Thomson, the founder and chairman of Atom Bank, as well as the founder and former chairman of Metro Bank, the first brand new UK retail bank in more than a century, went on an episode of Big Money Questions and answered the questions you never dared to ask, but Rachel Rickard Straus did.

What is a bank?

“In very simple terms, [if] you deposit £100 pounds to me, and I give you, say, 2% interest, so I give you £2. I lend that £100 to someone else and charge them £10 in interest, and I keep the difference, the £8, which is what banks call the net interest margin – the difference between what I pay you and what I get from lending that money out.

And out of those £8, I pay the costs of running the bank and what’s left is the profit.”

So the bank is like the middle man?

“It gets a bit more complicated in the sense that on certain products, like your current account, the bank will take your money – you put it in your salary in the first of the month and most people would have spent it by the end of the month. But in the duration, the banks had the use of that money for nothing.

Also, if you go overdrawn, the bank will charge you a fee, so banks make their money from the difference between taking a deposit and lending and also in the fees of charging people.”

What does it mean to be a bank?

“A banking license, because a license is being given by the regulator, means one thing only, which is you can take custom deposits – anybody can lend money, you can get a consumer credit license to lend money, but only banks can take money in by way of deposit. And the reason for that is because of the financial stability.

Governments don’t want banks going bust, so they create something like the financial services compensation scheme, so you know if you deposit your money in the bank that up to 80,000 pounds [in the U.K.] it’s covered in the case that something happens to the bank, the government will guarantee that money for you.”

To learn more from the intriguing interview, click on the video link below.

Let’s kick off our list of wholesome things people have been keeping from others with this sweet Valentine’s story. According to this Reddit post, a group of friends once bought a Valentine for an unpopular boy in their class.

This group of well-meaning gals didn’t sign their name on the card, but the recipient enjoyed it all the same. Come to think of it, sending someone a card isn’t difficult at all, and could end up making that person feel extra special.

This is a long one – but it’s worth it! In this wholesome tale, two teenagers were messing around in their snowmobiles when they came across an elderly couple stuck in their car in the freshly fallen snow. Amazingly, the teens dug the car out, shoveled the couple’s driveway, and made sure their vehicle was safely in the garage.

The next day, one of the teens went to church and listened as the elderly man stood up to talk about two guardian angels that appeared the night before.

There are several wholesome animal stories on this list, and those are our favorite kind! We begin with this story of a cat that’s been with its owner for a massive 18 years. Listen – these two are bonded, no doubt about it.

However, the author of this post knows that her husband has always wanted a cat, so she sometimes annoys her kitty a little so that he’ll snuggle with her partner instead. This makes him giddy with glee because he thinks the cat loves them equally.

And right away we have another wholesome secret involving animals. The person that wrote this post decided to donate $1,000 to the animal shelter where they got their dog. They were so grateful to have their pup that they wanted to continue to support animal rescues.

Rather than telling anyone, this person made an anonymous donation so that it didn’t become about them and their reasons. This is an amazing thing to do! We’re sure the pups are grateful.

We can’t get enough of these wholesome secrets! In this case, we have a tattooed, gruff-voiced man who has a double life as a baby whisperer. While this man spends his spare time playing in a band and going boxing, during his working hours, he cuddles newborn babies.

For some reason, this muscly nurse has a knack for calming down crying babies, making him the go-to when a baby just won’t stop screaming. Seriously, this is just the cutest.

This wholesome secret won’t be a secret for long, as it’s actually a surprise vacation to Switzerland! This amazing friend managed to get their housemate to take time off work and has even packed them a bag for their European adventure.

This lucky person thinks they’re taking a day trip to the beach but they’re actually off to visit CERN — the European Organization for Nuclear Research, and home of The Large Hadron Collider. Now, where can we get a friend like this?

Many people have a tough time expressing themselves, though this can fade away a little with age. As people are able to look back and reflect on their lives, they often become a little more emotional than they might have at a younger stage in life.

This is the case with this Redditor’s “military-hardened dad,” who rants about how amazing his wife is but never actually tells her. This wholesome child decided to record these private proclamations of love and save them for their parents’ anniversary.

Lots of kids decide to put Santa to the test in order to figure out the truth about Christmas once and for all. This Redditor overheard her younger brother hatch a plan to catch Santa, so she scraped the money together and surprised him with the giant teddy bear he privately requested.

Not only did this cheer her little brother up on Christmas day, but she also kept that spark alive for years to come. Now 14 years old, he still has that bear.

When it comes to video games, some people really have an advantage over others. You see, some people have had video consoles since they were children, so flicking and clicking control buttons is second nature to them. For others, these controls are completely alien, and it takes a while to wrap your head around them.

In light of this, it’s super sweet that this person “accidentally” falls behind sometimes when they play Mario Kart with their dad. Adorable!

Some people really are impressive. Think about it — would it be easy for you to give up a free trip to visit Istanbul, the beautiful Turkish city? Well, that’s exactly what this Redditor did when they realized that their coworker was disappointed to not be selected for the trip.

This person took a step back and let their underappreciated coworker take the trip of a lifetime. This is some serious selflessness that we should all attain to. Bravo, random Redditor!

Wholesome secrets or surprise journeys don’t have to involve a vacation to Europe — they could also involve a trip to good old McDonald’s. This person revealed that they’re taking their daughters to McDonald’s and the movies after school.

These little cuties think they’re going home to do some cleaning (ugh!), but will actually be tucking into a Happy Meal and a movie. We also love how excited this parent is for the afternoon ahead; so wholesome!

There are several people on this list who step up when other people are having issues paying for their goods. In this case, someone witnessed an elderly lady stocking up on pet food, and then having to puts items back when the bill was too high. Instead of watching someone struggle, this Redditor stepped up and paid the entire bill.

Acts like this are great because this bill was probably nothing to the person who paid it, but it meant everything to the lady who needed it.

Here’s another wholesome secret where somebody helped out a friend but didn’t end up telling that friend it was them. That’s some impressive self-control! In this case, someone watched their friend go through a dark period when their mother passed away and helped them turn things around.

Sadly, this grieving person then got into a car accident and had to spend their savings on medical bills rather than a life-changing trip to Jerusalem. As it turns out, a “bank error” meant the trip could go ahead.

Many adults don’t even register the presence of quarter machines when they walk past them. But for kids, well, that’s a different story. The Redditor who wrote this post remembers twisting the machines as a kid, full of hope for what might accidentally fall out.

As an adult, this person drops some change into the machines so that passing kiddies can enjoy a miraculous moment. It’s pretty moving that people are this thoughtful when it comes to strangers.

This person has noticed that one of their friends has issues with money and that they don’t get much support from their parents. Rather than judge this person, or talk poorly about them, this Redditor just leaves cash lying around their friend’s room to help with bills.

This Redditor knows that their friend wouldn’t take any money directly, so they just casually slip money into their space. This supportive, quietly encouraging behavior is certainly something to admire.

Many people feel responsible for their parents, especially if they’ve watched their parents sacrifice for them throughout their lives. This Redditor has been putting money away for his parents’ retirement since he was just 16 years old, but hasn’t mentioned anything to them about it.

This person watched their parents lose everything in the 2008 financial crash, and had enough foresight and maturity to know that he needed to plan for the future. More kids like this, please!

Before we recount this wholesome secret, it’s important to point out that you should never just push someone’s wheelchair without asking first. Unfortunately, many people speak down to wheelchair users and even move them as if they’re an obstacle. Others don’t even make eye contact, leaving people feeling more isolated and excluded.

Thankfully, in this case, someone asked a man in a wheelchair if he needed any help, and then gave him the help when he said yes.

Many parents ask their kids to save up for something with no intention at all that the kid will spend it. This is usually wrapped up in a lesson about the importance of saving money, and the rewards that come with waiting. Regardless, it would be pretty great to discover you had thousands of dollars just waiting to be spent.

Obviously, this is a pretty privileged way to parent, but it’s nice that this 16-year-old has been diligently saving his cash.

We really like this wholesome secret in which someone has been privately learning French in order to surprise their Francophone father. This is an exciting secret, if only for the eventual reveal where someone is able to fluently (or almost fluently, or even just competently) chat with their dad in his native tongue.

This is also a great thing to do for someone because it requires long-term attention and effort. Now, download Duolingo and surprise someone close to you!

We all remember those kids in school who didn’t really fit in. It was never their fault – they just didn’t thrive in the hyper-competitive and judgmental environment. Lots of students just ignore these people, but others are brave and kind enough to make an effort and reach out. And it works!

This Redditor did some research and found out that a new student at her school loved Paramore. She compared the student to Haley Williams, and watched as she gained confidence and blossomed.

Here’s another wholesome cashier story where someone stepped in to pay the bill of someone in need. Again, this transaction didn’t mean much financially to those who paid for it, but it meant the world to the recipient. Likewise, this was a discrete decision on the employees’ part, but a miracle to the lady they helped.

It’s worth pointing out that it’s a real shame that this sort of thing happens. Everyone deserves to eat, and companies shouldn’t prevent people from helping.

We love this wholesome secret that involves an occasionally pampered pooch. This person’s husband doesn’t like their dog to be on their bed, which is understandable due to the hairs and potential smell a pup leaves behind.

Yet, when this husband is out of town, the pup is welcomed onto the bed and allowed to stay there all night. This person then cleans the sheets and changes the linens so her husband feels extra special when he returns. It’s a win-win-win!

Here’s another amazingly wholesome act of kindness that almost anyone could do. This person ordered 20 pizzas to a homeless shelter and didn’t mention their name or intentions at all. Doing this means that people can enjoy the goodwill of a generous gesture without having to thank someone or focus on being grateful.

For people living in a homeless shelter, this is exactly what they need. Free pizza brings joy and sustenance, and allows people to relax and unwind.

When this Redditor’s dad walked out on them, he still stayed in touch with his other son and showered him with gifts. Behind the scenes, this Redditor’s mother had a chat with her father (their grandfather), asking him to step up and be the father figure. Naturally, gramps did just that and spent time with his grandson a few weekends every month.

Because of this, this Redditor ended up feeling loved and connected to his family, rather than an outcast as if he had done something wrong.

Every now and then, you might spot someone searching through trash looking for food. Even if this a common sight for some people, it shouldn’t be one that just makes us walk on by. How would we feel if we were in that situation?

The Redditor in this story asked a lady she saw rummaging for food what she would like from the supermarket. She then purchased the food and gave it to her, knowing she’d done something good.

We’ve already met some wholesome folks who like to slip their friends and family money — and here we have another. This person tucks $20 bills into their parents’ and partner’s wallets and doesn’t say a word. This way, when their loved ones go to grab a few dollars from their wallets, they think they’ve overlooked some cash.

This wholesome secret is such a selfless act, because it lets people enjoy things and have more comfort without making them feel indebted to someone else.

This Reddit story shows that wholesome acts don’t require a whole lot of money or an extravagant surprise – just a little bit of thought. The author of this post decided to take on the role of Cupid every Valentine’s Day, and taped boxes of chocolates and cookies on her college friends’ dorm doors.

She then took it up a level, taping chocolates to the doors of 150 students in her dorm. Each person got a few candies, but they also felt loved and included.

The person that wrote this Reddit post wants to clarify that they don’t order pizza for their girlfriend’s kid because they’re lazy, but because it makes the kid extremely excited. This guy orders an extra pineapple-y pizza for his partner’s little one, even though he doesn’t really like the sweet and sour fruit on his pizza.

It’s super cute that this little girl will grow up with memories of munching on her favorite pizza with mom and her boyfriend — who don’t particularly love the pizza but absolutely adore the kid.

Noticing someone doesn’t have much money can be a difficult thing – it might make you feel guilty, or worry about how best to help them. This person has taken it upon themselves to dress their less well-off friend and just pretends that the clothes he passes on are hand-me-downs, from thrift stores, or purchased on sale.

Doing this means that his friend gets to look and feel like everyone else, and doesn’t feel indebted to anyone. Wholesome and selfless.

Most people get onto public transport and immediately avert their eyes from everyone else. They look down, they grab a seat if they can, and they look out the window, or at their phone. This might make sense for the fast-moving and phone-obsessed among us, but what about people that don’t get to talk to anyone else during their day?

Well, this Redditor makes a point of starting conversations with strangers on the bus, especially if it looks like they’re having a bad day.

Car enthusiasts know that Cuba is basically a living museum for classic cars. This is because US cars used to be imported into the northern Caribbean country, but stopped due to political tensions between the two nations. Due to a decades-long embargo and a ban of American cars and their parts, there are only old US cars in the country.

This Redditor decided to send his parents to Cuba so that his car-loving dad could see the old cars. Now, that’s adorable.

The author of this post started to do secret wholesome acts because they read about a valedictorian who did the same. And hey, if they can do it, why can’t you? This person made themselves a fake Instagram account and left positive comments to people from their school.

Doing something like this helps people will low self-esteem, and might give them the confidence or courage to get through a difficult time. It’s free to do but could have lasting results.

It’s great when people get together and contribute money for a shared gift, especially if it’s a thoughtful replacement gift. That’s what happened when a church youth leader got his camera stolen, windows smashed, and car vandalized. A bunch of the church youth put their allowances and earnings together so that he could have a replacement camera.

Even when outright asked if they contributed their two-week paycheck towards buying the camera, this Redditor said no. A secret until the end!

This wholesome secret is a great example of how kindness quickly spreads into joy and shared happiness. This Redditor knew that their aunt would be late on rent, so they paid the bill and told the landlord to say that she had already paid it earlier in the month.

This meant that the aunt didn’t have to feel bad or stressed, and their generous family member knew there was no need to worry. Even better, the aunt’s happiness translated into steaks for dinner.

It’s time for another wholesome secret involving animals. And this time, we’re dealing with sleeping dogs. Cute! The person who wrote this post admitted to carrying their pups to bed when they’ve fallen asleep on the stairs. They don’t want anyone to trip over their beloved babies while they’re relaxing, so they whisk them away to a safer spot.

This is one of those things that pet parents (and human parents) do in order to keep their loved ones safe and happy.

It’s always great to surprise someone, especially for a big day. Traveling to be with someone on an important occasion makes them feel loved, and they get the joy of experiencing a big surprise.

This Redditor was able to come home in time for their girlfriend’s graduation but decided not to tell her that their finals would be over in time. This little white lie means that someone’s graduation day will be made even more special. We’re sure they won’t forget it!

This Reddit post shows the math that this wholesome person did in order to treat someone to a free Mcdonald’s cheeseburger twice a week. This person lives in the UK, where students can get a free cheeseburger when they show their student card.

This person hopped on the bus to a nearby town, used a voucher to buy a discounted Big Mac, and then gave his free burger to the homeless man outside. This person could easily chow down on that burger, but instead, they give it away.

We’ve already seen plenty of evidence that doing good makes people feel good, and this is another example of that. While it might sound great to receive a $100 tip, it feels better to give that money to people who really need it.

This person happily handed over their large tip after watching a family get their cards declined at a grocery store. While this person could have treated themselves, they chose to make other people happy. Nice work.

Life is weird, and at times you find yourself doing things that people used to do for you a long time ago. This Redditor reflects on when they used to purchase pretty seashells from the beach store and then leave them lying for their father to find.

Just like something a father might do for a child, this person enjoyed their parent’s happiness and didn’t need gratitude for the gesture. Small acts like this also create important memories, which can last a lifetime.

In this list, we’ve already read about someone who purposely leaves change in quarter machines, and it seems that there are more than one of them. This person leaves coins in gumball and prize machines in memory of their late daughter.

By processing their grief in this wholesome and creative way, tons of little kids get to benefit from a tragic loss. Adorably, this Reddit post reflects on a little kid who found a coin and jumped for joy about his good fortune.

When people we love are going through difficult times, most people instinctively want to help them. However, there are barriers in giving things to people — it might be a sensitive situation, they might not want to feel indebted or even want to admit they’re having difficulties.

This person sidestepped all that hassle by simply mailing their mom $750 to contribute towards their dad’s medical and funeral expenses. They knew their contribution was small, but wanted to do something to help.

Here’s another person that takes time to stop and talk to people that are routinely ignored. Rather than looking the other way when they encounter a homeless person, this Redditor makes a point of sitting next to them and making conversation.

Of course, the homeless are people just like anyone else, with histories, experiences, and perspectives. Listening to them not only brings insight and compassion, but also helps them to feel integrated into society. Why not strike up a conversation?

When you’re driving along in a warm car, listening to the radio, and taking a sip of your coffee, it’s easy to forget how miserable it can be to walk in bad weather. While lots of people enjoy walking, it can turn into a real nightmare when you’re lugging heavy groceries up a steep hill in the cold.

That’s why this person always stops and offers a lift when they see anyone they know. It’s only 10 minutes extra time for them, but saves the other person tons of energy.

There are several versions of the rhyme, “Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck,” but they all derive from the same thing. In earlier times, people believed that heavy metals had protective qualities that warded off evil spirits. Therefore, picking up a coin was seen as a gift from the gods, and the metal would keep you safe.

This Redditor purposely drops pennies so that their aunt feels connected to her late husband, a perpetual penny picker-upper.

Finally, we complete our list of wholesome secrets people kept to themselves with this person who spends $100 per month on essentials for their local homeless community. It’s pretty outrageous that people are homeless considering how many billionaires there are and how much wealth is floating around the world.

Thankfully, people like this Redditor donate their money to care for communities in need, knowing that the systems in place often let them fall through the cracks. Keep doing good, people!