Courtesy Everett Collection No more wafer thin mints for investors.More and more investors believe there is a free lunch. That is, you get something for nothing. In investing, people have been getting a free lunch: Stocks (and bonds) have been rising for years without a bad turnout. Will there ever be consequences of massive money printing by central banks, $20 trillion in national debt, a high trade deficit, underfunded social-program liabilities and higher deficits resulting from tax reform? One would think so. In theory, gold is supposed to be a hedge against the supposed free lunch investors are enjoying. In practice, it has not worked out that way so far. The key words here are “so far.” Now the free-lunch believers are losing interest in gold. Are they right? Are there other ways to protect oneself? Before discussing what to do now, let us explore with a long-term chart of gold.via