When Frank is starting to leave to see his wife at Christmas time, there are lots of leafy green trees in sight. However, this is not unusual in southern California.
The logic for their scheme didn't make sense. At the beginning they are talking about how they need money right away, and the wife even says that if they don't pay the rent that week they'll be evicted. But in order to collect the insurance money, they will have to wait for seven years, which does not provide a solution to their need for money right then.