Final answer:
To obtain spices for less money in Western Europe, one could explore direct sea routes to Asia. Establishing direct trade would bypass Muslim intermediaries and their associated costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you lived in Western Europe and wanted spices for less money, you could try finding an all-water passage to India and the Spice Islands. European nations sought to establish direct sea routes to Asia in order to bypass Muslim intermediaries and the associated costs. The Portuguese, for example, explored the coast of Africa to find a route to India, while Christopher Columbus ventured west to find an oceanic route to India. By establishing direct sea trade with Asia, Europeans could obtain spices at a lower cost.